From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Nov 6: Union Minister Ananth Kumar inaugurated the sports start up seminar, ‘Billion Hopes’, which intends to carry on the momentum of our performance in the recently concluded Olympics and Paralympics on Saturday November 5 at IIM Bengaluru.
While appreciating the sports enthusiasts, sportsmen and entrepreneurs in the sports domain, the minister in a light hearted note spoke of how politics is like an athletic event. Indeed, politics was like Decathlon, with various kinds of hurdles and challenges being addressed every day, exactly like these multiple hurdle events.
He also spoke of how the GST bill was passed, was somewhat similar to successfully organizing an Olympics event and winning it. Getting 32 different political parties on board, with all A YES in both the houses when GST bill was passed, was a very significant achievement of the government.
While the country is rooting for economic reforms for better quality of life, it is equally important to focus on sports as a country. And this is what the Modi Government has achieved in the last 30 months:
1. Salaries of chief coaches have been tripled, so that there is sufficient motivation for them to perform
2. Implementation of TOP program (Target Olympic Podium), by identifying 118 potential athletes and supporting them towards this goal
3. Creation of a National University in Manipur with the 2016 Bill expected to be passed soon. This will focus on improving sports outcome in national and international events
A management institute should think in a very innovative way for solving any issue. Sports require an approach that is different from what it has been all these days.
The seminar today must debate and come out with an action plan that is creative and effective. For instance, the 100% neem coated urea initiative of our ministry in a span of less than 188 days, was a super success, It ensured that 6 Mn tons of urea that was illegally taken out of the agriculture sector, was retained here itself.
Increased productivity, zero pilferage and reduced usage meant a staggering saving of INR 12,000 Cr every year on this count alone. And the simple solution that we came up with was, 100% neem coating.
He wished that IIM B also comes out with an effective solution for the sports domain.
As representative of Bengaluru South (under which IIM B comes too), it would be his pleasure to enable the sports domain gather momentum.
He wished that our country in next Olympics should get gold medals by leveraging these ecosystems.