Why Haryana is producing potential performers..
A country of 28 states and 7 Union Territories having a population of more than 121 crore has just managed to get six medals in Olympic Games – thanks to a comparatively small state Haryana that alone gave us four medals out of total six.
Though Haryana makes up two percent of the country’s total population, 18 out of 81 players that took part in the Olympics were from the state. The State has a vibrant sporting culture whose boxers and wrestlers scripted a remarkable success story, evoking international curiosity and admiration. In fact, this state is well advanced in sports and producing excellent athletes from the countryside, where many states do not have a single Olympian to take pride in!
Indeed, the economy of any state does not produce excellent players; neither the social and cultural background of the state can take this credit. The Haryana government deserves the credit for this great achievement as it had provided vibrant sporting culture and world-class facilities to its talented players and laid stress on the development of sports.
To develop vibrant sporting culture in the State, the government is doing its earnest endeavors.
Focus on building excellent infrastructure apparently
On the line of Right to Education, Haryana Government is contemplating bringing in a bill on Right to Play. About 200 stadia have been constructed in rural areas where coaching will be given in different sports. Academies are being established for different sports. At block level, the government is building 224 Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Khel Parisars, each on an area of six acres with outdoor and indoor facilities for 10 to 12 disciplines. Over 224 villages have mini stadiums. The State has nine swimming pools, five hockey Astroturf fields and three synthetic athletic tracks.
Incentives to sportspersons
For the Olympics, The Government gives Rs. 11 lac each to the Haryana players for preparation. Funding school children through Sports and physical aptitude tests is an innovative approach. It is a talent hunt programme for years 8-19 category. There is also a provision of performance-linked scholarships of Rs. 1500 per month for age group 8-14 and Rs. 2,000 per month for 14-19 year olds.
Besides giving huge money as reward to Olympic medal winners, the State is rewarding other Olympians also, along with the coaches of medal winners. The Government has given service to its prominent and successful players.
Government’s decision to give assistance for training, treatment, travel and insurance cost of players from the State with top ten world ranking in an Olympic individual sport and top eight world ranking in Olympic team games will be a morale booster. Honorarium be given to Arjuna Awardees and Bhim Awardees of Haryana State. The State Govt. provides bus concession up to 75% in Haryana Roadways buses to all players who participate in state level sports competitions. Free travel concession is given to Arjuna Awardees, State Sports Awardees (Bhim Award)/medalists in the Asian/Common Wealth Games, Olympians in Haryana Roadways.
Working at grass- root level
The Government has put emphasis on early identification of talent and on supporting them adequately to enable such young men and women to realize their potential.
These sincere efforts of State Govt. have convinced the potential youth and promising sportspersons to opt for sports as their career. This success of the Government has made this state the number 1 sports state in the country.
Conclusively, Haryana is leading from the front for the welfare of sports in the country, and we expect other states to take a leaf out of Haryana’s book.