New Delhi:
The union cabinet has approved the setting up of a Centre for Disability Sports in Gwalior, a move which is likely to benefit para-sports in the country. The centre will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 170.99 crore, spread over a period of five years. "Setting up of the Centre will develop a sense of belonging in Divyangjan to facilitate their integration in society," an official statement read after the cabinet meeting here on Thursday evening.
The centre will have a Governing Body comprising a maximum of 12 members, some of the experts from "National Level Sports Federations apart from experts in para games".
Section 30 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, requires the government to take measures to ensure "effective participation of Persons with Disabilities in sports activities which includes the provision of infrastructural facilities for sports activities for them".
The upcoming centre was proposed in the budget of 2014-15."At present, no specialised sports training facilities for Divyangjan are available in the Country," the government statement read. The initiative by the government of India will help the specially abled people to express themselves even better and take sports seriously. We have already seen what the India Cricket team has produced, and it's just a matter of time when other sports will also flourish.
(With Inputs: PTI)
