Satish Sharma Seeks Rs 600 Crore Sports Employment Hubs for Jammu Kashmir | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: Seeking to link sports development with large scale job creation, Jammu and Kashmir minister Satish Sharma has requested financial support of Rs 600 crore over five years to establish 10 Border Sports and Employment Hubs across the Union Territory, along with additional livelihood and apprenticeship schemes worth Rs 570 crore aimed at border and high altitude regions.

The proposals were submitted during a meeting with Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya, where Satish Sharma presented a comprehensive memorandum outlining a multi sectoral roadmap to transform Jammu and Kashmir into a national hub of sports excellence, employment generation and sports tourism.

According to the memorandum, the proposed Border Sports and Employment Hubs would be set up five each in Jammu and Kashmir divisions and equipped with multi sport facilities, skill training classrooms and residential infrastructure. The Minister also sought Rs 300 crore for a Border Youth Sports Apprenticeship Programme, Rs 150 crore for a Coaches and Trainers Wage Support Scheme and Rs 120 crore for a High Altitude and Winter Sports Livelihood Programme for areas such as Gurez, Tangdhar and Teetwal.

Highlighting the wider sports infrastructure needs, Satish Sharma pitched for international standard cricket stadiums in Srinagar and Jammu, stating that the absence of such facilities has prevented the region from hosting national and international fixtures. He said these stadiums would help revive top level cricket, boost tourism and inspire young athletes.

The Minister also proposed a Border Sports Development Circuit covering Kathua Samba, Akhnoor Chhamb, Poonch Nowshera Rajouri, Uri Baramulla Kupwara and Karnah Gurez, with special grants for Dangal Akharas, cycling tracks, hockey and football fields and sports equipment in border panchayats to strengthen grassroots participation.

Emphasising water and winter sports, he sought the establishment of a National Water Sports Centre of Excellence at Basohli in Kathua by upgrading facilities at the Ranjit Sagar Dam, and proposed declaring Jammu and Kashmir as India’s national hub for paddle and water sports. He also pressed for expediting the long pending National Winter Sports Centre of Excellence at Gulmarg.

Satish Sharma further requested revival of the Arun Jaitley International Cricket Stadium project at Hiranagar, which has remained stalled despite earlier sanction, and sought central intervention to remove impediments. He also proposed modern youth hostels in Jammu and Srinagar under the Khelo India framework and a special scheme to engage national and international level coaches on contract basis.

Stating that Jammu and Kashmir has vast untapped sporting potential and natural advantages, the Minister said focused national support could help sports emerge as a major engine of employment, tourism and regional development in the Union Territory.