TN CM proposes initiatives to promote sports

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami today proposed a slew of initiatives to promote sports talent in the state.

He announced setting up a Badminton Academy here, besides a scheme to train sportspersons to excel in international tournaments.

Making a suo motu statement in the state Assembly, he said there were many shuttlers in Tamil Nadu who were capable of winning medals in international events and the badminton academy was being proposed to promote such players.

The academy will come up at the Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University campus at an estimated Rs 10 crore, he said, adding it will be helpful in nurturing talent through the various scientific labs available in the varsity.

Further, the government will identify 50 sportspersons including differently-abled persons and provide training to them with an aim to make them win medals in international tournaments.

The government will spend Rs five crore annually towards procuring equipment, provide training in foreign countries and help the athletes take part in competitions, he added.

Further, a District Sports Complex with modern facilities like athletic track, gymnasium and swimming pool will come up in Vellore at an estimated Rs 17.35 crore, he said.

The Chief Minister also made announcements concerning the departments of Tamil Development and Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments.

These included construction of a lodging facility for devotees coming to the famous Subramaniaswamy Temple in Tiruchendur, besides financial assistance of Rs 20 crore to a total of 2,000 temples to take up various works.

Further, he announced an annual allocation of Rs five crore towards setting up of Tamil Chair in various countries and Indian states with sizeable Tamil population.

This initiative, launched by the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, will initially be implemented in Oxford University in London, University of Johannesburg, University of Malaya in Malaysia and University of Jaffna in Sri Lanka, he said.