On the lines of “one district, one product”, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to promote one sport in one district.
Under the One District, One Sport (ODOS) scheme, players will get training in the specified sport for their district to play both at national and international events, a government spokesperson said, adding the aim is to provide a platform for budding sportspersons to nurture their talents and skills so that they can participate in prestigious national and international championships and win medals. This would also help to promote sports culture and keep the young generation healthy in the state, the spokesperson added.
Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Maharajganj, Azamgarh and Chandauli districts have been chosen for wrestling, considering that many wrestlers from the region have represented in the national and international championships. In west UP, Baghpat, which is adjacent to Haryana, also has a history of good wrestling players and has been chosen for the same under the ODOS, the official added.
The state government has also taken the consent of the Central government to change district-wise sports of 10 districts under the Khelo India scheme to include them in the ODOS.
In the Khelo India Centres in the 10 districts, the honing of the talents of players will continue under the supervision of skilled coaches, the official said, adding to promote the sports under the ODOS scheme, the state will implement the new sports policy.
The 10 districts whose district-wise sports have been changed include, Mathura (wrestling instead of judo), Ballia, Ambedkar Nagar, Kanpur Dehat and Fatehpur (athletics instead of badminton), Bahraich (football instead of badminton), Shravasti (kabaddi instead of badminton), in Jhansi, Gonda and In Lakhimpur Kheri (hockey instead of badminton).
“There is a universal rule to nurture sporting talents – catch them young. The department will ensure the identification of the talents related to popular sports in different areas at the right age and provide them best training. This is also the purpose of the ODOS scheme. It will be our endeavour that according to the intention of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in the coming few years, UP will also lead the country in sports,” said Additional Chief Secretary (Sports) Navneet Sehgal.
The Indian Express had earlier reported that the UP government has finalised the Sports Policy-2022 with a view to grooming sportspersons from the state.