Centre plans sports fields to harness J&K’s youth energy

NEW DELHI: A new ‘Mission Kashmir’— aimed at getting the angry Kashmiri youngster to the play field—is quietly being put together by the Centre.

The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports are putting together a plan to create new sports fields across 200 blocks in Jammu & Kashmir, taking the PM’s special Development Package for the state a level up, reliable sources in the government told ET.

The two ministries have also identified two sports to start off their new Mission—cricket and football. The sports ministry will soon appoint coaches for the two sports across the 200 blocks. The certified coaches will largely come from among state residents, it has been agreed.

The sports ministry is even agreeable to paying the coaches a little extra to ensure the project takes off in full earnest. Certified coaches in turn will also mentor community coaches to help draw in youngsters to the fields and try a sport.

“Firstly, the plan is to create the play fields. Once the basic sports facility has been created, youngsters will naturally come and play something or the other. Basic accessories for football and cricket will also be provided. What makes it doable is also that the state government is on board with the plan and will take it forward even further.

A year later or so, we hope to be in a position for talent identification from amongst these youngsters to participate in various national and international sport events,” a senior official told ET.

The larger aim is to channelise the Kashmiri youth towards new vocations and encourage their participation across various sport disciplines. It was mostly youngsters who were involved in the stone pelting and pellet injuries across Kashmir last year.

Very few Kashmiris have been drawn to national level sports. Most recently, off spinner Parvez Rasool has become the first Kashmiri to participate in the cricket IPL.