Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare and Sports Development Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, on Thursday, June 27, 2024, announced on the floor of the House, that 100 vacancies have been reserved for sportspersons in public sector undertakings (PSUs).
Replying to the demands for grants for his department in the Assembly, he said sportspersons representing Tamil Nadu in national and international events would get appointments in PSUs under the three per cent reservation category. “They will get jobs depending on their educational qualifications and achievements,” he said.
Mr. Udhayanidhi also announced the extension of the Kalaignar Sports Kit Scheme to town panchayats, municipalities and municipal corporations and an allocation of ₹100 crore for the purchase of 33 types of sports equipment. Earlier, the scheme was only being implemented in panchayats.
Besides, small stadiums would be constructed in 22 Assembly constituencies at a cost of ₹66 crore, he said. A Bicycle Motocross (BMX) would be created near Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University (TNPESU) in Melakottaiyur to improve the skills of cycling sportspersons. The Minister also said the stadiums under the control of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) would be refurbished at a cost of ₹50 crore.
Traditional martial arts centre
The Minister also announced the government’s decision to set up a traditional martial arts and research centre in Kanniyakumari district to train the next generation in wrestling, varma, suvadumurai and kuthuvarisai.
A diving pool would be created at the SDAT AGB complex in Madurai and a swimming pool would also be set up in Karur, he said.
His other announcements included air-conditioned facilities in the gyms of stadiums, synthetic hockey grounds in Ariyalur and Tiruvannamalai districts where a lot of talented hockey players were getting trained, an increment in the food allowance, sports kits and grants for students of sports hostels and an Athlete Management System to scientifically evaluate the skills of sportspersons.
Centres of excellence
Mr. Udhayanidhi said TNPESU in Melakottaiyru would be made a centre of excellence in fencing, badminton, cycling, archery and table tennis; the SDAT grounds in Nungambakkam would be made a centre of excellence in tennis and the SDAT AGB in Velachery would be made a centre of excellence in swimming and gymnastics.
