Rs980 million proposed for athletes training, coaches hiring, equipment

ISLAMABAD: A whopping amount of Rs980 million has been proposed in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the next two years for athletes training camps, hiring coaches and purchasing equipment with focus on the 13th South Asian Games that Pakistan is to host in 2023.

For 2021-2022, Rs250 million has been earmarked for athletes training camp. It is believed that Rs520 million in all will be spent on the players training and preparation during the next two years or in a run-up to the 13th South Asian Games to be hosted by Pakistan in March-April 2023.

A big amount of Rs225 million has been earmarked in the PSDP for hiring foreign coaches and purchasing equipment for the South Asian Games. In total Rs460 million has been set aside for hiring coaches and purchasing sports equipment in the run-up to the 13th SA Games.

“Never before in the history of Pakistan sports has such a huge amount been placed in the PSDP,” Mohsin Mushtaq Chandna, secretary Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) ministry, said in an exclusive talk with ‘The News’ on Saturday. “Besides the up-gradation work on which a huge amount will be spent, special emphasis has been given on athletes training in different sports for the SA Games,” he added.

He confirmed that Rs800 million has been proposed in the PSDP to up-grade the Sports Complex in Islamabad during the next fiscal year.

“This surely is an unprecedented amount. Never before in the history of Pakistan sports has such a huge amount been made part of the PSDP. We want to make the opportunity count and the Minister for IPC Dr Fehmida Mirza is making all-out efforts to get the best deal for players and their training and preparation under the watchful eyes of quality coaches. Hiring of foreign coaches and preparing a roadmap for athletes training and readiness for the SA Games is one of the top priorities of the Minister,” the IPC secretary said.

“We have got a huge challenge ahead of us. All out efforts will be made to upgrade facilities here that possibly are the only available ones at par with international standards. Upgradation of the facilities at the Complex is long overdue,” he said.

Another Rs126 million has been proposed for upgradation of Bio-Mechanical Lab in the vicinity of the Sports Complex; Rs472 million has been suggested for laying artificial hockey turfs at Gilgit-Baltistan, Wah, Peshawar and Quetta.

The Annual Plan Coordination Committee (APCC) has already proposed these schemes while the National Economic Council (ECC) to be chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan within a week is expected to make it part of the Development Budget.