Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday interacted with sports ministers and senior officials of 17 States and Union Territories over video conference to plan a collaborative roadmap to further sports and youth-related activities across India. “Youth Affairs and Sports Ministers & senior officials of 17 states and UTs interacted with @KirenRijiju over video conference to plan a collaborative roadmap to further sports and youth-related activities across India. The activities undertaken during Covid19 were also reviewed,” Rijiju tweeted.

Youth Affairs and Sports Ministers & senior officials of 17 states and UTs interacted with @KirenRijiju over video conference to plan a collaborative roadmap to further sports and youth related activities across India. The activities undertaken during Covid19 were also reviewed. pic.twitter.com/qnoWzdiOWO

Kiren Rijiju Office (@RijijuOffice) July 14, 2020

Earlier it was announced that Rijiju will meet ministers in charge of the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports from all States and Union Territories in a two-day video conference on July 14 and 15.

The aim of the two-day video conference is to chart out the roadmap for grassroots-level sports development as well as the activities of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) and National Service Scheme (NSS), across the country.

The agenda of the meeting includes a review of the action taken during COVID-19, as well as discussions on restarting sporting activities at the state-level and identification of budding sports talent through competitions at block and district levels in states and UTs.

Inclusion of fitness and sports as part of the curriculum in all schools across the country will also be discussed. Plans to conduct Khelo India events and Youth Festivals later this year or early next year will be decided.

Rijiju had stressed that it is ”crucial” to strengthen the sports ecosystem at the grassroot level if we want to make it to the Top 10 countries at the Olympic podium in 2028. He had also said that Sports Ministry has decided to set up Khelo India State Center of Excellence (KISCE) in all states and UTs.

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“Strengthening of the sports ecosystem at the grassroots level is crucial if we want to realise the dream of making India one of the Top 10 countries at the Olympic podium in 2028, and we must start that process now. The Sports Ministry has already decided to set up Khelo India State Center of Excellence (KISCE) in all states and UTs,” he had said in a statement.

“Further, 1000 Khelo India Centers (KIC) at the district level to enable local talent to be identified and trained in 14 identified Olympic sport and traditional sports. Both the KISCEs and KICs will strengthen the grassroots-level sports ecosystem in India in a big way, and states have a big role to play in it. Also, the One State, One Sport policy that the government has made needs to be discussed and implemented early. We hope to exchange ideas with all states to ensure that there is one collaborative roadmap towards making India a sporting superpower,” Rijiju had added.