- Chief Minister cautions sportspersons against mobile phone addiction as well
- CM Yogi honours athletes, medalists of the Olympic and Paralympic Games
- CM distributes Rs 22.70 crore in prize money to athletes
- Rs 20.30 crore awarded to para-athletes and Rs 2.40 crore to general athletes
- Double engine government transformed the sports landscape in the state: CM Yogi
- Plans underway to appoint medal-winning athletes as gazetted officers: Chief Minister
Raksha-Rajneeti Network
Lucknow : Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated on Tuesday that athletes and sportspersons must stay away from drugs, emphasizing, “Drugs lead to destruction; those who turn to drugs will not achieve anything significant in life.” The Chief Minister also cautioned them against smart phone addiction.
Speaking at a ceremony organized at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Lucknow to honour athletes who brought pride to the country and Uttar Pradesh on a global scale, CM Yogi shared his mantra for success with the youth and athletes.
The Chief Minister noted that smartphones have become the greatest challenge for today’s young generation, affecting both their time and efforts.
He encouraged the youth to prepare themselves, assuring that both the central and state governments are creating suitable conditions for their progress. “Sports facilities are being developed in cities and villages across the state to integrate sports into their lives. Alongside quality training, skilled trainers are also being made available.”
To motivate the youth towards sports, CM Yogi also shared the inspirational stories of the athletes attending the felicitation ceremony.
In the program ‘Jinhone Badhaya Desh Ka Maan, Aisi Pratibhaon Ko Samman’, 14 Olympians and Paralympic athletes were honoured. During the felicitation ceremony, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath distributed prize money of Rs 22.70 crore to these athletes who brought honour to the state and the country at large.
The event was attended by a total of 7 medal-winning Olympians and Paralympians, as well as 7 other participants from the Games. The honoured medal winners included Praveen Kumar, Suhas LY, Ajit Singh, Preeti Pal, Simran, Lalit Upadhyay, and Raj Kumar Pal.
Emphasizing that every competition, whether small or large, provides an opportunity for athletes to progress, Yogi Adityanath stated, “Today, the sports environment in the country has transformed. The results of the systematic efforts made over the last decade for the promotion of sports and athletes, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are evident to everyone.”
He added, “The Khelo India Abhiyan, Fit India Movement, and Sansad Khel Pratiyogita launched by Prime Minister Modi have transformed the sports environment across the country.”
CM Yogi highlighted that leagues have now begun at the university level and sports competitions at the village level, offering players a platform to advance. He further noted that under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, Uttar Pradesh has initiated various programs as part of the national efforts to promote sports, and significant progress is being made in this regard.
Highlighting the infrastructure development for athletes, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated, “The double-engine government is continuously focusing on this. Currently, Uttar Pradesh has 84 stadiums, 67 multi-purpose halls, 38 swimming pools, 15 synthetic hockey stadiums, and 3 synthetic running tracks ready.”
He further mentioned that the state has developed 2 international cricket stadiums, 16 hostels, 47 state-of-the-art gyms, 20 synthetic tennis courts, and 19 dormitories for athletes. Additionally, 2 judo halls, 13 wrestling halls, 6 shooting ranges, 2 indoor volleyball courts, 12 weightlifting halls, and 14 synthetic basketball courts have been established in the state.
