Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government on Monday approved a proposal to create a 'sports department' to boost infrastructure and provide support to athletes. The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting in Patna.
A total of 19 proposals of the various departments were approved in the Cabinet meeting. At present, the sports wing is part of the art, culture and youth affairs department.
Earlier two days ago on December 6, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced that the state government would soon create a 'sports department'. He distributed appointment letters to 71 sportspersons of the state, who won medals in national and international events.
"We have decided to create a separate sports department in Bihar to boost infrastructure and support athletes in their endeavour to win medals," he said.
"Now, a separate sports department will be created to facilitate talent...and provide them international-level facilities for athletes in the state," Kumar said.
The Bihar government has decided to promote and encourage sports by giving direct jobs to sportspersons who won medals, he said.
'Medal lao, naukari pao'
"The state government has already formulated a policy for providing government jobs to medal winners- 'medal lao, naukari pao' (bring medal, get jobs)", he said.
The government has decided to provide jobs in administrative and police services to those sportspersons of the state, who will win medals in national and international sporting events.
The administration has already constructed 250 stadiums in all blocks in the state, he said, adding a sports academy of international level, apart from a cricket stadium and sports universities, was coming up in Rajgir.
