Pune: Athletes Left Waiting as PMC’s Sports Scheme Fails to Materialize
Pune, 18th August 2024: ‘Kheladu Dattak Yojana’—Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) sports adoption scheme—has remained largely inactive, despite being introduced five years ago.
PMC first introduced its sports policy in 2012, with updates scheduled every six years. The most recent update was in 2018, following consultations with athletes, coaches, and various sports organizations in the city. The scheme was designed to provide essential support to emerging athletes, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, by supplying sports kits and funding for food and energy supplements.
Despite its potential, the program has yet to benefit any sportspersons, even though it covers athletes in ten sports disciplines, including wrestling, hockey, boxing, swimming, kabaddi, kho-kho, badminton, gymnastics, mallakhamb, and field sports.
According to PMC officials, the scheme lost momentum after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of an elected body and sports committee over the past two years has further hindered its implementation.
PMC Sports Officer Pradip Mahadik acknowledged the challenges in getting the scheme off the ground. “We reached out to various sporting organizations but received a lukewarm response. We will continue our efforts to ensure that the scheme eventually benefits deserving athletes,” he said.
The sports policy also includes provisions for scholarships, travel allowances, sponsorships for sports kits, and free training facilities for students in municipal schools. Additionally, it outlines the development of new sports complexes, the improvement of existing grounds, and the protection of land designated for playgrounds.
