Jammu: Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday inaugurated Golf Training Academy for students here and said his endeavour is to make the union territory one of the top golfing destinations of the country in coming days.
The administration has already established a Golf Academy at Kashmir Golf Course, Srinagar, to popularize golf among youth and students.
“And, now within a year, the first batch of 100 children is starting their basic training at Jammu Tawi Golf Course and after 15 days, Phase-2 of this training will commence. More students from government established schools in different districts would be provided golf training,” the LG said.
The newly inaugurated Golf Academy at Jammu Tawi Golf Course aims to train the students and youth and to support them to turn into professional golfers so that the youth of J&K is able to showcase their talent in the professional domain, an official spokesman said.
He said the academy will run a program of continuous education for the general public including kids, adults, and amateur golfers, besides certifying the individuals participating in the program.
“It will also be a training centre for the national and state-level players,” the spokesman said.
The LG said international level golf courses have been built all over Jammu and Kashmir and “it is our endeavour that UT emerges as one of the top golfing destinations of the country in the coming days.”
Sinha said J&K is a powerhouse of sporting talent and the UT administration is committed to provide both opportunities and resources to advance coaching.
He said the Golf Academy started at Jammu Tawi Golf Course is a symbol of that spirit. “The UT administration is making efforts to make this game inclusive and accessible to common masses.”
Further, the Sanasar Golf Course will also be revamped, he said.
“Prime Minister has ended the decades-old practice of discrimination in J&K by establishing a citizen friendly, accountable and responsible governance system post August 2019. We are making relentless efforts to ensure every person in the society feels connected to the mainstream”, the LG said.
He said in the last one year, appointments to 11,000 government posts have been made where youth, especially girls from common poor and marginalized households have secured government jobs on the basis of merit.
He said the new governance system believes in corruption-free, transparent, and inclusive growth.
“Developing sports infrastructure, organizing sports events in every nook and corner of UT, arranging the best coaches, continuously monitoring and fully utilizing the existing assets are the broad strategies that the UT administration has been working on for the last one and a half years to completely transform the sporting ecosystem in the J&K,” Sinha said.
This year, he said 221 playfields will be constructed in all 20 districts, besides construction and upgradation of 157 sports courts will be completed.
On the occasion, the LG also distributed handbook on ‘Basic Skills of Golf’ to the children.
Sarmad Hafeez, Secretary, Tourism department, in his address gave details of the Golf Academy and its courses opened for students from government established schools. He also highlighted different flagship projects for increasing the tourism potential of Jammu region.
R K Goyal, Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department; Dr. Raghav Langer, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu; Sheikh Fayaz Ahmad, Commissioner/Secretary Department of Floriculture, Parks, and Gardens, besides officials of Jammu Tawi Golf Course and students of various government schools were present.
