Jammu, Jul 14 (NVI): More than 570 sports infrastructure projects worth over ₹650 crore are under various stages of planning and execution across Jammu and Kashmir during the current financial year, officials said on Tuesday.
The progress of the projects was reviewed by Commissioner Secretary, Youth Services and Sports, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, during the department’s first quarterly review meeting held in Jammu.
Officials said the programme includes 315 projects being implemented by the Directorate of Youth Services and Sports and 263 projects being executed by the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council under various schemes, including Capital Expenditure (CapEx), Special Assistance to Capital Investment (SASCI) and the Khelo India Mission.
Chairing the meeting, Choudhary said the infrastructure expansion is aligned with the vision of the proposed Khelo Bharat Niti and aims to provide equitable access to quality sports facilities across urban, rural, border, tribal and remote areas of the Union Territory.
He said the department is focusing on creating modern sports infrastructure while ensuring that young people across Jammu and Kashmir have access to facilities close to their homes.
The meeting reviewed progress on several major projects, including the development of Khel Gaon at Nagrota as a multi-sport hub, residential sports facilities, youth hostels, indoor stadiums, sports academies, mini stadiums and playfield development works across various districts.
Officials said the Sports Council is also executing projects such as synthetic football and hockey turfs, athletic tracks, swimming facilities, cricket academies, water sports infrastructure and high-performance training centres at different locations.
The meeting was informed that 108 playfields are being developed across Jammu and Kashmir this year at an estimated cost of over ₹39 crore, while 118 additional sports infrastructure projects, including indoor halls, volleyball and badminton courts, cricket practice facilities and youth hostels, are also under implementation.
Choudhary directed officials to expedite project execution, maintain quality standards and strengthen digital monitoring mechanisms to ensure timely completion of all sanctioned works.
He also asked the department to prepare a geo-spatial inventory of sports infrastructure and conduct district-wise infrastructure gap analyses to guide future investments, with special focus on border, tribal and hilly areas.
The Commissioner Secretary said the ongoing infrastructure expansion would help strengthen grassroots sports, identify talent and create opportunities for young sportspersons to compete at national and international levels.(NVI)
