SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a review meeting of the Youth Services & Sports Department, emphasizing the pivotal role of the department in channelising the energy of the youth into productive avenues.
He stressed that apart from sports, young people should be encouraged to explore diverse domains such as music, arts, and other creative pursuits in line with their interests and aspirations.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary, Finance, Santosh D vaidya, Commissioner Secretary, Youth Services & Sports (YS&S), Yasha Mudgal; Director General, YS&S; Director General, Resources; Executive Director, J&K Bank; Secretary, J&K Sports Council; and other senior officers.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to youth development, the Chief Secretary assured the department of unhindered and adequate budgetary support. He also directed the department to proactively engage with corporate entities, including CPSUs and J&K Bank, to secure sponsorships for athletes, particularly for advanced training and exposure in outside states and coaching camps.
The Chief Secretary underscored the importance of publicizing an annual calendar of activities to broaden outreach and attract greater participation from youth across the UT.
He further advised the department to work towards hosting high-profile sporting events in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in football, cricket, and other popular disciplines.
Highlighting the need to nurture talent across multiple fields, Dulloo called for organising talent hunt festivals in music, dance, arts, and other youth-centric activities.
He also stressed the importance of bringing national-level events like that of the Khelo India Winter Games and Khelo India Water Sports Festival held regularly in J&K in other sports disciplines too. He assured that he would make personal efforts to facilitate collaborations with premier sports bodies like the AIFF and BCCI to realise this vision.
The Chief Secretary further emphasised the creation of role models for youth and instructed the department to strengthen initiatives for establishing Centres of Excellence in different sporting disciplines in the UT.
