Union Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs and Information and Broadcasting Shri Anurag Singh Thakur today distributed Sports Kits to 35,000 players as part of Sports Outreach Program at Saili Cricket Ground in Silvassa. The Administrator of Union territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Shri Praful Patel was present during the event. 

While speaking at the ceremony at Sayli Cricket Ground, the Union Sports Minister said, “Under the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi many effective steps have been taken for the development of sports. Khelo India programme is one of the key initiatives in this regard and it has led to many success stories at global level. “ He lauded the efforts taken  by the Union Territory Administration under the leadership  of Shri Praful Patel, Administrator of Union Territory Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and said it would reflect in sportspersons from the region doing well in future. 

Shri Thakur added that many steps have been taken  by the union government to develop the basic infrastructure sports. Better quality training and equipments are also being provided to the players. Due to these efforts players of the region are bringing glory by performing better at the national level, he said. 

While mentioning the recently held the national level Diu Beach Games-2024 that was successfully organized on the beautiful beach of Diu Shri Thakur said it found mention by the Prime Minister in his Mann Ki Baat broadcast. 

During the event sports kits were distributed to about 35,000 talented players of the Union Territory. It included about 12,410 sports kits of different sports, 1,460 cricket bats, 4,380 cricket balls, 730 cricket stump sets, 1,460 volleyballs, 730 volleyball nets, 1,460 footballs, 2,190 kitbags.  Young players from 70 villages of 20 gram panchayats of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, 24 villages of 14 gram panchayats of Daman and players from each ward of Silvassa and Daman Municipal Council benefited during this event.

It is noteworthy that the Sports Outreach Program was announced by Administrator Praful Patel in the year 2023. The main objective of this scheme is to identify talented players from rural and urban areas, to provide them better opportunities in the field of sports by providing them sports materials from the administration.

AP/JKS//GP/JD

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