Coming Friday, over one million boys and girls and people across age groups will play football in the 36 districts of Maharashtra, for sheer fun, recreation and as an introduction to the beautiful game; all in order to create awareness of playing sport and to commemorate the FIFA Under-17 World Cup to be hosted by India, including some matches at Navi Mumbai’s D.Y.Patil Stadium in October.
The Government of Maharashtra has undertaken the football movement project calling it, "Maharashtra Mission 1 Million (MM1M)’’ and contribute to the Central Government’s Million 11 Million to celebrate the first FIFA tournament in the Indian sub-continent.
"This is part of the sports movement the Prime Minister wants to kick off all across the country and create good health and fitness awareness; he wants people to sweat it out in the maidans. On Friday (September 15) Maharashtra will play its part in the sports activation movement.
"We have received online details from all the districts and we are sure the 1 million mark will be achieved. One lakh footballs have been distributed to 30,000 schools. All one needs to do is keep two stones apart and start kicking the ball.
"One can do this in maidans, farms, open fields and streets,’’ said Vinod Tawde, Minister for Sports & Youth Affairs, Government of Maharashtra here on Wednesday.
As part of the MM1M initiative, several institutions have been divided into eight groups that will play football at the Bombay Gymkhana on Friday; one particular five-a-side match will be played between the Sports Journalists Association of Mumbai (SJAM) and political reporters, in the presence of the State Governor, C. Vidyasagar Rao, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Sports Minister, Tawde and other officials.
"There will be this story of a group consisting of three generations of a family (Grandfather, son and grandson) playing footbal at Buldana District. School children will assemble at maidans in Sangli to play football. One tribal group wants to play football at the Bombay Gymkhana. This is a massive sports awareness initiative,’’ said Tawde.
Since June, the sports department of the State has distributed footballs to schools, conducted workshops , seminars, held inter-school tournaments and activated programmes in colleges and Universities. A drawing competition will be held for boys and girls and a best of luck card will be presented to the Indian team for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup. Maharashtra will stage an international tournament in the under-13 age group in November-December and conduct grassroots programme in all districts.
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