Jammu, July 2 (IANS) Under the Khelo India initiative, sporting kits and equipment were distributed to players of various sports disciplines in Poonch district on Wednesday. The sports gear and equipment were distributed among the players by Deputy Commissioner Vikas Kundal.

A programme was organised in the indoor hall of Poonch sports stadium, which saw a large number of players, coaches and officials taking part. Various types of sporting gear were provided to assist players at the grassroots level.

The programme was presided over by Stadium Manager Mushtaq Ahmed, while District Development Deputy Commissioner Poonch was the chief guest. The latter distributed sporting equipment worth lakhs of rupees among the players pertaining to various disciplines, including hockey, football, boxing and badminton.

Players and their coaches spoke to IANS about the event and expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“We are very thankful to Prime Minister Modi for providing us with sports kits. We will strive to take our region forward and further promote the game of hockey,” said Navkiran Kour, a hockey player.

Khelo India, Coach, Navjot Singh said, “Under the Khelo India initiative, sports equipment has been provided. This Khelo India scheme, run by the Central Government, is being actively implemented in Jammu and Kashmir to promote sports and nurture local talent.”

Notably, the ‘Khelo India – National Programme for Development of Sports’ was launched in 2016-17 with the twin objective of mass participation and promotion of excellence in sports across the country. The scheme was revamped and approved for three years, from 2017-18 to 2019-20, at a financial outlay of Rs 1756 crore.

The Khelo India Scheme has contributed significantly to the development of sports across the country by collaborating with the various State Governments. It is being implemented in both rural and urban areas of the country, ensuring equal opportunities for sports development.

–IANS

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