25 Sep :The Sports Ministry has decided to provide state of art training and exposure both at domestic and international levels to 150 Shooters for preparing them for the world class performance. Under the Scheme for “Preparation of Indian Teams for Commonwealth Games, 2010, the Steering Committee has approved the names of 63 Shooters ( 35 Men & 28 Women) so far, for their inclusion in the “Core Group” of sportspersons . In addition, National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has been asked to submit the panel of 15 Indian and 4 Foreign Coaches earmarked for Shooting discipline to the Steering Committee for its approval at the next meeting.
Under the Scheme, training is to be provided 100 Men and 50 Women Shooters . NRAI has been asked to furnish the more names to fill all slots.
The Steering Committee constituted by the Government under the Scheme, has also directed the NRAI to submit without delay the names of supporting personnel such as a Sports Analyst, and three mental trainers or Psychologists as per the Scheme for its approval. As required under the Scheme, the Steering Committee has also directed to NRAI to prepare in consultation with Sports Authority of India (SAI) the Annual Calendar of Training & Competitions (ACTC) for imparting training of 305 days in a year for the period from August 2008 to 31st March 2009. During the meeting, the NRAI informed the Committee that Sports Authority of India Centre, Bangalore , Balewadi Sports Complex, Pune, SAAP Centre at Hyderabad and Training Centre of Rajasthan Government at Jaipur have been identified as centres for imparting training to the Core Group of sportspersons. For providing infrastructural and equipment support , the Committee has asked the SAI to examine the requirements of the NRAI and submit a consolidated proposal to it for approval at the earliest.
For effective assessment and review of the performance of the players and coaches at regular intervals, the Committee has asked the NRAI to design a format in consultation with Chief National Coach indicating various parameters .
With an objective to enhance transparency and placing all information relating to the Scheme in public domain, the Committee has also emphasized the NRAI , the need to develop a comprehensive website which should inter-alia contain the names, profiles of players, compilation of various facilities for the sports available country-wide (indicating levels of such facilities and under whose control/jurisdiction) and also names, Profiles, levels of Coaches, Supporting Personnel of the Sport available, Sports equipment necessary for that sport, list of suppliers in India and abroad, training facilities available overseas, list of major competitions / tournaments in India and abroad, details of the National Federation (with names of office bearer and their telephone numbers etc.), International Federation etc. The Committee directed the NRAI to start the website within two months and communicate to it.
Dr. M S Gill, the Union Sports Minister directed the Steering Committee constituted under the Scheme to complete the process of identification of Core Group of Sportspersons and supporting personnel in respect of all disciplines in consultation with federations at the earliest so as to fully operationalise the Scheme expeditiously. He called for feedback from the stakeholders including players about Core sportspersons and coaches selected under the Scheme and said that the Ministry will look into the feedback seriously and take appropriate action.
It may be recalled that the Union Cabinet on 12th June, 2008 gave its approval for a Scheme titled “Preparation of Indian Team for Commonwealth Games, 2010, with an outlay of Rs. 678.00 crore for three years starting from 2008-09. The objectives of the Scheme are as follows:
i. To improve India’s competitiveness in international sports and to enhance the medals tally in major international events particularly the Commonwealth Youth Games, 2008 and Commonwealth Games, 2010;
ii. To institutionalize a system for preparation of elite sportspersons for prestigious international competitive events which would inter-alia, also include qualifying championships for major international events;
iii. To improve state of art training and better competitive opportunities to elite sportspersons / medal prospects; and
iv. To develop a system of selection of sportspersons based on performance monitoring in the run upto the international event.
The Scheme aims to impart state of the art training to our sportspersons (medal probables) both in India and abroad with adequate sports sciences back up, with the objective of maximizing Indian medals’ tally in the Commonwealth Games, 2010.