Minister reaches late at venu; 200 children made to wait for two hours in Phagwara

Jalandhar, August 12

Over 200 children, who are undergoing training in various football academies of Rurka Kalan, Mahilpur, and other areas and had gathered at Government Senior Secondary School for Boys at Phagwara, had to wait for two hours this afternoon for Minister Harjot Bains to arrive and launch a programme.

In partnership with the All-India Football Federation, the minister was to launch FIFA’s ambitious Football for Schools programme aiming at grooming budding players of the U-14 category in their schools so as to enable them to compete at the national as well international football events.

Sports Minister Gurmeet S Meet Hayer was also to come for the event, but he did not turn up owing to a prior engagement. Bains reportedly come here via Amritsar where he had gone to check some government schools in the day. The event was to start at 2.30 pm, but the minister arrived after 4.30 pm.

Coaches and trainers accompanying the children said they had to wait for two hours. “Because of the training we impart, our children have become tough. We kept on replenishing them with liquids and some food and made them sit under a shed.”

Bains, in the presence of AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, launched the programme. He said in the first phase, 1,000 schools would be identified and execution of this programme was being finalised in association with the All-India Football Federation. FIFA and the AIFF will provide 20,000 footballs as well as appoint mentors for young players to further hone their talent.

“We will take this Blue Cubs (Grassroots) Development Programme in every nook and corner of the state. We are on a path of recruiting 2000 physical training instructors,” he said.

Earlier at the JCT complex, the minister held detailed discussions with AIFF’s Chaubey and Secretary General Dr Shaji Prabhakaran.

1,000 schools to be identified

In the first phase, 1,000 schools will be identified and execution of this programme was being finalised in association with the All-India Football Federation. FIFA and the AIFF will provide 20,000 footballs as well as appoint mentors for young players to further hone their talent.