To channelise the energy of the youth in constructive activities, the Himachal government has allocated a budget of Rs 45.43 crore for the Youth Services and Sports Department for organising sports activities in different parts of the state.

This was stated by the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while releasing the sports calendar for the year 2018-19 and a booklet on achievements of the Youth Services and Sports Department on Friday.

The calendar contains detailed information and schedule about sports events to be organised by the department in the state throughout the year.

The CM said that the state government was committed to provide National level sports infrastructure with a view to organise high end competition in the state to harness the potential of budding sportspersons.

He said that the due to the encouragement being provided by the state government to the sportspersons, the youth of the state have excelled in the 18th Asian Games being held at Jakarta. He said that till date, three women Kabaddi players have won silver medal and one male Kabaddi player has won bronze medal.

Jai Ram Thakur said that under the Mukhaya Mantri Khel Vikas Yojana, sports grounds would be constructed in each Vidhan Sabha Constituency and till date, nine such grounds have been sanctioned in the state.

In addition, the department has constructed 57 multipurpose outdoor stadiums and about 3200 small grounds at Panchayat level in the state.

He said that apart from this, synthetic athletics track was being constructed at Saraswatinagar in Shimla district, for which an amount of rupees one crore has been released.

The CM said that additional grant of Rs 2 crore has been provided to the State Sports Council to effectively organise sports events in the state.

He said that Rs 46 lakh has been allocated under the Scheduled Caste Special Component Plan.

Jai Ram Thakur said that the state government was providing three percent reservation in employment for the outstanding sports persons of the State and till date over 500 such sportspersons have been provided employment in the State.

He said that efforts were being made to construct indoor stadiums at Solan, Kishanpur, Palampur, Ghumarwin and Bilaspur.