Date:02/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/02/stories/2005010203870500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Government for action plan to promote sports

By Our Staff Reporter

GUNTUR, JAN. 1. The State Government will chalk out an action plan for extending its full support to budding sportspersons in the State over the next two years, the Minister for Finance, K. Rosaiah, has said.

The Finance Minister has, however, expressed concern that a majority of colleges, set up in the busy localities, do not have provision for sporting activity. The absence of proper premises is, in turn, giving no scope for developing sports grounds and other required facilities in colleges.

Mr. Rosaiah was participating as the chief guest at the valedictory of the 65th All-India Inter-University Athletic Meet held on the Acharya Nagarjuna University campus on Saturday. He also laid the foundation stone for construction of a building for housing the distance education centre on the university campus with an estimated cost of Rs. 2 crores.

The Minister for Cooperation, Kanna Lakshminarayana, stressed the need for improving the sporting standards among college-going youth. Towards this end, there was an imminent need to impart training to young sportsmen, as it would enable them to excel in their respective field of sport.