Khela Hobe Diwas: Footballs for all 303 clubs affiliated under IFA

Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee government will be distributing 10 footballs to each of the 303 clubs affiliated under the Indian Football Association (IFA) in the state. Each of the three football giants Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting Club will be receiving 100 footballs.

The footballs will be distributed in a programme, which has been organised in a small key, by the state Youth Services and Sports department at Netaji Indoor Stadium on August 2. This comes when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced of distributing 1 lakh footballs on the eve of "Khela Hobe Diwas". The programme will be organized maintaining Covid protocol and minimum number of participants possible will be invited.

The state Sports minister Aroop Biswas would also be present in the programme. Former players would also be felicitated on August 2. At least 3,330 "Joyee" footballs would be distributed on the day as an initiative to encourage more children and youths to get engaged in sports activities. The "Joyee" footballs are being manufactured by the Refujee Handicrafts, which was set up in 1950 to help refugees earn their livelihood. The organization that functions under the aegis of the state Youth Services and Sports department had lost all its importance due to the lackadaisical attitude of the erstwhile Left Front government. It was Banerjee who had set up the Refugee Handicrafts Managing Committee comprising veteran football players and revived the organisation. Banerjee had only given the brand name "Joyee" (the winner).

The state government had distributed footballs in educational institutions, local clubs and police lines for the first time ahead of FIFA Under-17 Football World Cup in 2017. It was done to promote the international event taking place in the country. It needs mention that members of different self help groups get benefitted when they were involved in the process of the production of the handmade footballs.