Chandigarh to miss fourth deadline to formulate Sports Policy

Deepankar Sharda

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 30

The UT Sports Department is going to miss the fourth deadline to form Chandigarh’s Sports Policy. UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit had asked the department to complete the policy by December 31.

Decades after coming into existence (1983), the UT Sports Department realised the need to have its own sports policy. The department finally submitted a draft policy for approval in 2016. On November 29, 2019, the then Administrator approved “formulation of sports policy and suggestion submission of the draft in the next meeting”.

Continuing the process, on July 24, 2020, a statement was issued wherein it was claimed that the Administration is in the process of drafting a policy and open suggestions should be taken from residents, eminent sports personalities, associations, schools and others by giving an advertisement in newspapers, and the policy should be made within a particular time frame of not more than three months. It was also announced that Administrator’s Advisory Council (AAC) members would visit former Indian sprinter Milkha Singh and take his ideas too. However, no details of this meeting were made public.

It was announced that the blueprint of the policy would be discussed on August 24, 2020. Later, during a meeting on February 21, 2021, it was announced that the sports policy would be ready by May 30.

“…In the meeting, there was a detailed discussion. Tejdeep Singh Saini, Director, Sports, said apart from Haryana and Punjab, the policy of Delhi had been reviewed and the services of sports experts of Panjab University have also been taken. It will be ready by the end of May,” stated a note.

On October 8, newly joined UT Administrator Purohit asked the officials to complete the Sports Policy by December 31. The directions were given during the Administrator’s Advisory Council. The department currently follows the Rule 8 (i) of the Punjab State Sports Rules, 1993.

Sources claimed that the committee includes a former Dronacharya Awardee boxing coach, officials of the Department of Physical Education, Panjab University, former players and others.

Meeting today

“A meeting of the committee constituted for framing sports policy was held recently. Committee members are again meeting on Friday. There has been a detailed discussion on all aspects and it will be finalised soon,” said an official.