Bhubaneswar: After forming tribal development councils, the state government is now in the process of implementing another new scheme for tribals. It is in the field of sports – a move being interpreted as the BJD government’s plan to improve its image among tribals ahead of polls.
Sources in the Sports and Youth Services Department said that the scheme, called “Promotion of sports among tribals,” will be implemented utilizing Rs 6.40 crore funds from the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) trusts and state budget.
Accordingly, 12 districts such as Keonjhar, Sundargar, Rayagada, Mayurbhanj, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Malkangiri, Angul, Jajpur and Jharsuguda have been asked to set aside a total Rs 2.20 crore from their DMF trusts while the remaining funds will be drawn from state budget for organizing various sports competitions in the 119 tribal sub plan (TSP) blocks in all districts across the state.
Officials said that the objectives of the scheme will be to find hidden sports talent among the tribal youth, provide platform to them to participate in the state and national level competitions in different sports disciplines and connect tribal youths from LWE areas with the mainstream of sports ecosystem in the state.
They said that as part of the programme, sports events (team and individual) will be organized in all 119 TSP blocks in which 500 participants, including officials, will be participating in each block.
Events will also be organized at district and at state level in which as many as 5,000 will take part.
Hockey, football, kabaddi, volleyball and kho-kho will be part of team events, while athletics (100 mt, 400mt, 1500mt, long jump and javelin throw) and archery will form part of individual events.
This apart, all 22 Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDAs) in the state will sponsor one tribal group that will demonstrate the traditional games and culture at state level events.
These sports events will be monitored by 550 government officials while a state-level committee to be formed will be headed by the Sports and Youth Services minister. He will also monitor it.
The events are likely to take place between November and January, officials said.
After setting up the Tribal Development Council, introducing another scheme for tribals, at a time when the elections are nearing, is seen as a move of the present government to refurbish its image among the tribal sections using sports.
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