HUBBALLI: The Dharwad District Panchayat To promote indigenous sports in rural areas, a program to develop government school grounds has been started. The Zilla Panchayat has identified 506 government school grounds for development in consultation with the concerned departments. It has started work in more than 134 places and completed work at 28 places.
The work has been done under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme, which aims at development of rural areas and poverty alleviation by ensuring employment opportunities.
District Panchayat CEO Suresh Soanal said that with the aim of promoting sports in rural schools, he decided to develop the government school grounds. We have decided to complete all the proposed works by March 2023.
“Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs) contacted school principals and other officials and submitted a list of school grounds in their respective jurisdictions. Keeping in view the availability of adequate space, we have created playgrounds for Kabaddi, Kho-Kho and Volleyball. In some places, we have also prepared grounds for basketball and athletics.
“There are facilities for Kabaddi, Kho-Kho and other indigenous sports besides other sports. So, we decided to make provision for indigenous sports. People in rural areas know how to play desi games and the only thing needed is suitable playgrounds,” he said.
BC Ramesh, former captain of the Indian Kabaddi team and coach of the Pro-Kabaddi team, said, “Many students in government schools play Kabaddi, Kho-Kho and other indigenous games. If they are trained properly, quality players can emerge.”
“Nowadays Kabaddi has also become a game of glamor like cricket and more players are emerging. Kabaddi, kho-kho and volleyball will also help the students to maintain health and stay physically fit,” he said.
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