Prioritise development of sports infrastructure in rural areas
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: December 22, 2022 -
THE announcement made by chief minister N Biren that the amount of incentives given to medal winners of Commonwealth Games (CWG) and National Games would be increased will definitely inspire Manipuri youngsters to toil harder and eventually bring laurels to the state.
As stated by the chief minister during Tuesday's felicitation of medal winners of the recently held regional and national games, Commonwealth Games gold medallists will be paid Rs 20 lakh and silver medal winners Rs 15 lakh through increment of Rs 5 lakh each from the previous amount.
As private and public undertakings generally splash cash and material rewards to Olympic Games medal winners, the state's decision to provide enhanced cash incentive to Commonwealth and National Games winners will help talented Manipuri sportspersons train and keep their focus on excelling at the Olympic stage.
Even though sportspersons in developed countries spend huge expenditures for training and diet supplement without which excelling in modern day sports wouldn't be possible, for a financial backward state like Manipur hiking the incentive amount underscores that the government has high regard for the sportspersons and is taking every step necessary to promote games and sports among the youth.
Apart from producing highest number of Olympians among the north-eastern states, Manipuri sportspersons have been consistently performing excellently in various other non-Olympic sports thereby keeping the reputation intact of being branded as the powerhouse of sports in the country.
Nevertheless, it known to all that almost all the champion sportspersons from the state were/ are from financially underprivileged families and have struggled a lot before making a mark in the international arena.
As such, it is a commendable decision by the government of Manipur to declare hike in the incentive amount as such a policy will boost the morale of the talented youngsters who have set sight on pursuing sports as a serious profession.
Though sportspersons will still have to prove their talent and champion quality to be eligible for receiving the incentive, the announcement will certainly inspire the youngsters to prioritise training and aim for podium finishes at the state and national championships for such events would be the stepping stone to shine in competitions held at the international level.
With cash incentive for National Games individual as well as team event medal winners also increased and coaches of medallists too assured of higher incentives, it is hoped that the trainees and the trainers will give their all to uphold the state's reputation as a powerhouse of sports and eventually inspire the younger generations to take up sports as a career choice.
Moreover, in case there is increase in the number of youngsters taking to sports then the threat from menace of substance abuse could be addressed to a great extent.
Thus, it is recommended that the budgetary allocation for sports be increased in order to facilitate development of basic sports infrastructure at the grassroots level, with special priority in rural areas, where access to quality training facilities is still a far cry compared to substantial presence of talented sportspersons.
The government should plan sports infrastructure in the rural areas while there is still space for the same.
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