Schools to get sports boost
New Delhi: In a major push to promote sports culture from the ground up, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday announced a comprehensive plan to develop state-of-the-art sports grounds and multipurpose auditoriums in government schools across the Capital. The initiative aims to provide quality sports training to children from an early age and transform Delhi’s schools into “nurseries of sporting talent.”
Chairing a high-level meeting with the Education Department at the Delhi Secretariat, the Chief Minister directed officials to prepare a detailed blueprint for the plan. “The goal is to ensure that children receive professional sports coaching from an early age, enabling them to pursue their ambitions with discipline and confidence,” she said, adding that sports instil “values of teamwork, perseverance, and leadership.”
Under the initiative, the government will collaborate with reputed sports academies to train students in disciplines like cricket, boxing, taekwondo, football, and swimming. “A strong sports ecosystem will be built in collaboration with these academies through structured training programmes,” the Chief Minister stated.
Highlighting the scope of the project, Rekha Gupta informed that Delhi currently has 799 school buildings, where officials have been instructed to identify suitable locations for developing modern sports grounds or mini sports arenas. Rural areas will be prioritised to ensure equal access to sports facilities across the city. The Chief Minister also revealed that the government is assessing the feasibility of adding swimming pools in select schools. “There will be no shortage of funds for this project,” she assured, emphasising speedy implementation.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to supporting athletes, she said, “The Delhi Government awards Rs.7 crore for Olympic gold medallists, Rs.5 crore for silver, and Rs.3 crore for bronze.” Promising athletes will also receive financial aid and government jobs.
Calling the initiative “a visionary step to integrate education and sports,” CM Rekha Gupta said she envisions Delhi’s schools as “cradles of future Olympians who will bring glory to the nation.”
