A look back at the Uttarakhand Sports Policy 2021 and it's top highlights to promote sports in the state

The Uttarakhand government introduced an ambitious Uttarakhand Sports Policy 2021 to revolutionize the state's sports landscape. This policy, implemented in December 2021, which replaced the 2014 framework, sought to identify and nurture young talent, create state-of-the-art infrastructure, and support athletes striving for excellence.

The Uttarakhand Sports Policy 2021 laid a solid foundation for the future of sports in the state. By 2024, the impact of this policy had already begun to be felt, with significant developments in the sports sector of the Himalayan state.

One of the key features of the Uttarakhand Sports Policy 2021 was the introduction of a physical and sports aptitude test aimed at spotting young talents as early as eight years old.

The policy also focused on creating Centers of Excellence for popular sports to provide young athletes with advanced training facilities.

The authorities identified 3,900 young sportspersons divided equally among boys and girls and distributed evenly across the 13 districts. Each district identified 300 young athletes with an encouragement allowance of Rs 1,500 monthly.

Additionally, under the Mukhyamantri Khiladi Protsahan Yojana, 2,600 youngsters in the 14 to 23 age group were selected, with 100 boys and 100 girls from each district receiving an allowance of Rs 2,000 per month.

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What were the incentives highlighted in the Uttarakhand Sports Policy 2021?

The new policy made sure that athletes who performed exceptionally well in major national and international events could get promoted ahead of others in government jobs of Class 2 and Class 3.

They even set up a special fund named after the legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand to provide further encouragement to sports talent.

The state also introduced an insurance policy to cover state and national-level players in case of any accident or mishap. Moreover, these athletes were granted free transportation on Uttarakhand Transport Corporation buses to attend state or national events.

The policy ensured a 5% sports quota for talented students in educational institutes and universities. The Mukhyamantri Khel Vikas Nidhi was also created to promote sports activities throughout the state. The fund was utilized to organize events, build infrastructure, and provide necessary equipment and facilities to athletes.