'Khelo Uttar Pradesh Centre' will be established in every block: CM Yogi

Lucknow: 'Khelo Uttar Pradesh Centre' will be established in every block of the state on the lines of the 'Khelo India Centre' being established in every district by the Government of India, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday.

Adityanath along with Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday honoured the medal winners and participants in the 19th Asian Games-2022, 4th Para Asian Games-2022 and 37th National Games-2023 at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Lucknow's Gomti Nagar.

Prize money worth Rs 62 crore was distributed to 189 outstanding players of the state. Along with this, appointment letters were also given to seven medal-winning players as the Deputy Superintendent of Police, District Youth Welfare Officer and Passenger/Goods Tax Officer, the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement.

Speaking on the occasion, Adityanath said the 'Khelo India Centre' is being established in every district by the Government of India, adding that 'Khelo Uttar Pradesh Centre' will be established on the same lines in every block of the state.

Adityanath, according to a statement issued by the Uttar Pradesh government, said that an amount would be determined for this in collaboration with the Sports department.

The Uttar Pradesh government has already decided that the players, who can give their time after the games will be appointed coaches at the 'Khelo UP Centre' on a fixed honorarium.

"In the last ten years, an atmosphere has been created in sports. The state government has worked with commitment to implement the vision of a new platform given by the prime minister for the promotion of youth energy on the ground as per his sentiments," Adityanath said.

"16 per cent of the country's population resides in Uttar Pradesh and our players have won 25 per cent of the Asian Games medals," he added.

Adityanath said that today an amount of Rs 62 crore has been provided to 189 players and appointment letters have been given to seven players.

This transformation takes place when the leadership is good, he added.

Taking a jibe at the previous opposition governments, the chief minister said, "Earlier they used to buy jobs by paying money, but today the government is giving jobs as well as money." "Uttar Pradesh is the leading state in the country, which has so far given appointment letters to more than 500 players and provided jobs to them. There should be arrangements for the para players also," Adityanath said.

"We can also appoint these medal-winning players, they are our personalities. They have increased the pride of the country and the state with their abilities," he added.

The sports minister in his address said, "We have to write a new picture of the new India and take forward the strength of sports which is the soft power of the country." He expressed hope that the country's players would break the records of medal tally in the Paris Olympics this year.

Thakur praised the state government and said Chief Minister Adityanath has established law and order in every area of the country's largest state.

"Yogi ji has freed Uttar Pradesh from riots and now there are 'dangal' and not 'dange' here," he added.

Referring to the change in Uttar Pradesh, Thakur said that earlier there used to be riots in the state and bullets were fired on the streets, but now the young shooters are aiming at the medals.

He also lauded Chief Minister Adityanath for development of sports related infrastructure in the state and encouraging the players.

Uttar Pradesh is among those states in the country that provide highest incentives to the players, Thakur said.

Uttar Pradesh is leading even in the competition between states and the state government is continuously paying attention to basic facilities, he added.

The Union minister said that scams were common in sports also before 2014, but today the country is talking about the medal winners.

This is a change which is visible from the Centre to the state, he underlined.

Thakur said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave Rs 2,800 crore in the first four years under the 'Khelo India' campaign.

The central government is running many schemes to encourage the players and is providing them with financial assistance, Thakur said.

After getting financial support, the players are also making new records and bringing more medals, he added.