‘Efforts would be taken for promoting sports activities in Kashmir valley’

Srinagar: Union Sports Minister Ajay Maken has appreciated the “hospitality, humanity and brotherhood” of the Kashmiris and said their hearts are filled with the spirit of love and amity.
The Minister was addressing the concluding function of National Integration Camp held at famous tourist resort, Verinag in South Kashmir yesterday, a press release issued here today said.
Maken said various measures are underway to encourage youth of the state besides promoting the sports activities.
He said sports infrastructure including playfields would be developed at block and Panchayat levels in the country for which Rs five lakh and Rs one lakh in each block and Panchayat would be incurred.
Maken said Kashmiri youth have keen interest and tremendous potential in football, adding that both state and central government would jointly work for developing basic infrastructure for football and make them able to compete at National and International levels.
Maken asked the participant youth from 11 states of the country to “take the message of love, amity, culture and civilisation of Kashmiri people” to their areas.
“About 20,000 youth volunteers have been selected across the country and 8000 youth, on the instruction of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, have been selected only from Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
The Minister for Youth Services and Sports and Medical Education, R S Chib, who was also present on the occasion, said time has come that youth here should play their role in the socio-economic development of the state.
Chib said UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi too is keen for the overall development of the state and the youth.
MLA Dooru, Ghulam Ahmad Mir welcomed the guests and hoped that the youth who participated in the camp would work as ambassadors for Kashmir tourism.