Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)
Udupi, May 26: A newly-built high-end district basketball court was inaugurated at Mahatma Gandhi ground, Ajjarkad, here on Tuesday May 26, by Rajya Sabha member Oscar Fernandes. Sports and fisheries minister Abhaychandra Jain initiated the programme by playing basketball.
The programme was organized by district authority, zilla panchayat, youth empowerment department in association with district sports department.
In his address, Oscar said, "We have conducted national-level sports meet recently and a athletes Jayananda and Gopal brought laurels during the Asian-Colombo sports meet. There is a need to encourage children to participate in sports, only then can India come up in international sports. We will produce national-level sports icons through this district sport stadium."
From April to May, 65 members have enrolled for badminton coaching and 48 have listed themselves for table-tennis training. Nearly 98 members have enrolled for swimming in the recently opened swimming pool, he said.
Sports minister Abhaychandra Jain praised the people of Udupi district and said that most of the medical and banking personnel hail from here. He appreciated Oscar for his work and urged the gathering to make good use of the basketball court.
Jain also lauded the district sports director Roshan Shetty for his dedicated work and asked other 32 directors of the district to follow him as a role model.
Udupi MLA Pramod Madhwaraj said, "A one-day seminar will be conducted and the appointment of users committee will take place to empower budding talents. Udupi district stood first in education, and it should secure the first place in sports too. The grants for sports development should be increased from Rs 8 crore to Rs 10 crores."
The pavilion roofing of the basketball was constructed at the cost of Rs 82.80 lac. The specious basket ball court was constructed with flood light at the cost Rs 19.50 lac. The application of interlocks on the sides of synthethic track was done at a cost of Rs.7.90 lac. The installation of electric lights around the gallery was done at a cost of Rs 7.25 lac. The construction of underground drainage in front of the ground was done at a cost Rs 2.40 lac. The total cost touched 1.31 crore and the fund was released from Oscar’s MPLAD fund.
M A Gafoor, Prakash Kodavoor, Dinesh Putran, Ashok Kumar Kodavoor, Nagesh Udyavar and others were present.