Sportstar North Sports Conclave 2022: Uttar Pradesh working on new sports policy - Navneet Sehgal

The Conclave was held in association with Hero We Care, a Hero Motocorp CSR Initiative, K.J. Somaiya Institute of Management, Indian Oil, Shiv Naresh, Life Insurance Corporation of India and KSG.

Navneet Sehgal, Addl Chief Secretary, Sports Govt of UP being presented a copy of the chess book by the CEO of The Hindu Group L V Navaneeth alongside Sportstar Editor Ayon Sengupta. | Photo Credit: R. V. Moorthy

Navneet Sehgal, Additional Chief Secretary, Sports in Uttar Pradesh, says the state is working on a new sports policy, which will see sporting facilities come up in four districts.

“We must involve young people in the field of sport. We are working on a new sports policy, and there couldn’t have been a more opportune time for this Conclave. This is the best way to reach out to our sportspersons. We have been working on creating better infrastructure and sporting facilities. In our state, we have stadiums everywhere except four districts. But in these districts also, work is already underway,” he said while speaking at the North Sports Conclave in Lucknow.

“Sports is a way of life... The Government of UP has always awarded all medallists. Now we have gone on to identify 26 gazetted posts where players will be appointed without any interview process,” Sehgal added.

Sehgal also said Uttar Pradesh’s industrial policy would allow for better transactions between stakeholders. “There is no dearth of merit in UP. Sports would play a significant role in Uttar Pradesh’s efforts in becoming a trillion-dollar economy. We are inviting entrepreneurs through our industry policy. We have a good ecosystem. In ease of doing business, we are number 2 in the country.”

He also informed the audience regarding a state government fund exclusively created for UP’s sporting heroes. “We have created  Eklavya Krida Kosh. It is a fund for sportspersons. It provides social security and insurance for sportspersons and their family up to five lakh rupees. It also helps the athletes attend national and international events by looking after the travel. The Government has contributed 25 crores to the fund.”

The Hindu Sportstar North Conclave presents a series of carefully curated conversations with top sportspersons and sport industry experts on revolutionising the sports ecosystem in Uttar Pradesh. The dialogues will offer a rare insight into the lives of the sports stars and help find ways to ignite the nation’s Olympic dream.

The Conclave was held in association with Hero We Care, a Hero Motocorp CSR Initiative, K.J. Somaiya Institute of Management, Indian Oil, Shiv Naresh, Life Insurance Corporation of India, NewsX and KSG.

Readers can follow the event live on the Sportstar website sportstar.thehindu.com.