Kerala to roll out community sports statewide: CM

Kerala, which has adopted a sports policy guided by the vision of “health for all”, will implement community sports across the State, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Sunday (February 8). He was speaking after inaugurating the M.R.C. Krishnan Memorial Multipurpose Indoor Stadium at Nadakkavu.

The State government is moving beyond the concept of “one playground per panchayat” to ensure playgrounds in every ward, the Chief Minister said. With lifestyle diseases affecting a large section of the population, there is a need to guarantee sports education and build a strong sports culture. This, he said, is why a significant portion of local self-government institutions’ funds has been earmarked for the sports sector. The concept of community sports must be expanded further, he added.

While sports education is part of the curriculum for students, opportunities to remain physically active tend to decline once they enter college and later the workforce, the Chief Minister said. He added that working people should find at least half an hour a day for light exercise. Playgrounds that enable people from all sections of society to exercise and engage in recreation are a public necessity, he said.

The State government has spent ₹1,500 crore on developing basic sports infrastructure. Through a sports conclave, investments worth ₹5,050 crore were mobilised, helping shape a sports economy in Kerala.

The modern stadium in Kasaragod will support the district’s sporting development and help nurture athletes of national and international calibre. The project was completed using multiple funding sources, including Sports department funds, MP and MLA funds, CSR contributions from major companies, and funds from grama panchayats, all pooled for a public purpose. The Chief Minister also highlighted the significant role played by libraries and clubs in promoting sports-related activities in the State.

Planning and Research wing to be launched

Sports and Youth Affairs Minister V. Abdurahiman on Sunday announced that Kerala will set up the country’s first planning and research wing under the Sports department to ensure the scientific development of the sector. The initiative aims to identify sporting talent at a young age and provide timely support and encouragement.

Presiding over the inauguration of the Kasaragod district multipurpose stadium at Nadakkavu, the Minister said the State had witnessed significant sports infrastructure development over the past decade. District stadiums will be completed in all districts. Of the four stadiums whose construction has been completed so far, Kasaragod hosted the inauguration of the second.

“The state-of-the-art M.R.C. Krishnan Memorial Multipurpose Indoor Stadium at Nadakkavu was completed at a cost of ₹31.53 crore using KIIFB funds. Capable of hosting national-level competitions in all weather conditions, the stadium is the highlight of the project. It features modern courts for badminton, basketball, tennis and table tennis, a kabaddi court, and the district’s first semi-Olympic swimming pool,” the Minister said.