MANGALORE: Krishna J. Palemar, Suratkal MLA, has urged the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports to start a sports school in Dakshina Kannada district at the earliest.

In a press release here, Mr. Palemar said that the Government had granted permission to start sports schools in 23 districts, including Dakshina Kannada.

However, while such schools had already begun functioning in most districts of the State, they had not yet started in Dakshina Kannada, Shimoga, Uttara Kannada and Dharwad districts due to the non-availability of proper infrastructure, he said.

The Government would ensure that athletes were selected for these schools, and would bear their educational, boarding, lodging and medical expenses. It would also provide them with necessary equipment and appoint qualified coaches to train them.

The respective zilla panchayats should provide buildings for the sports school and look after the maintenance of such buildings, Mr. Palemar said. He said that Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Alkod Y. Hanumanthappa had given an assurance on the floor of the Legislative Assembly that the Government had set aside Rs. 3 crore to implement the project, including Rs. 1 crore to meet recurring costs and the rest for non-recurring costs.

Chief Executive Officer of the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat A.M. Kunjappa told The Hindu that the sports school for the district would be started at the existing Backward Classes and Minorities (BCM) Hostel building of the zilla panchayat on the Mangala Stadium premises here from July 1. The BCM Hostel would in turn be housed in a private building for the time being. Forty students have already been selected for the school, he added.

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