To keep youth away from drug abuse, state government promoting sports: Minister

The state government is taking sports seriously and is taking significant steps for their promotion, said Education Minister Rohit Thakur in the Jubbal-Kotkhai Assembly Constituency of Shimla district today.

Rohit, while addressing the residents of Anti village during the inauguration ceremony of a panchayat-level volleyball tournament, said that sports tournaments were crucial especially at a time when the youth was falling prey to drug abuse and other unhealthy habits. He added that sports not only helped in building physical and mental strength, but also protected the youth from drifting towards substance abuse and anti-social behaviour.

The minister highlighted the steps taken by the government to strengthen sports and said that nine sports hostels were currently operational in the state. The girls’ sports hostel of Thakur Ram Lal Government Senior Secondary School at Jubbal was emerging as the biggest sports hostel in the state. “Established for volleyball training in 1987, this hostel has added kabaddi and badminton in the past two years. The hostel is offering about 20 seats each for volleyball and Kabaddi and 15 seats for badminton,” he added.

The minister said that the state government had also hiked the incentive amounts as well as the prize money given to sportspersons who win medals. He also inaugurated the second floor of the Panchayat Bhawan in Anti village constructed at a cost of Rs 26 lakh. He said that the building would ease administrative functioning in the village and would also be beneficial to people.

Besides, the minister inspected the building of a Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Pandranu being constructed at a cost of Rs 1.7 crore. He said that around 10 PHCs were being constructed in the constituency.