VHA re-submits astro turf proposal

Proposal sent to government under ‘Khelo India’ Scheme

By Paritosh Pramanik
23-8-2017
WITH fresh hopes, Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) has once again submitted a proposal for astro turf to the Director of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Maharashtra, Pune under Government of India’s ‘Khelo India’ Infrastructure Scheme.
The first proposal of VHA got ‘lost’ after change of guard at the top level. Now the department has asked them to submit a fresh proposal under the new scheme.
Determined to bring an astro turf in Nagpur, the Radheshyam Sarda-led body is leaving no stone unturned and has once again submitted a detailed proposal. Secretary DS Karunashankar submitted the proposal a couple of days ago to the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs Office, Pune.
VHA had earlier submitted proposals under the Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme to the District Sports Office and other concerned government departments. Letters and proposals were drafted and dispatched to Maharashtra Government in January last which had recommended financial grant for the project to the Union Sports Ministry.
The School Education and Sports Department, Government of Maharashtra, on April 22, 2016 had forwarded VHA’s proposal to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, New Delhi requesting them to grant 100 per cent financial assistance for synthetic playing surface under Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS).
“Please refer to the proposal of Vidarbha Hockey Association, Nagpur for granting 100% financial assistance for Synthetic Playing Surface Under Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS) forwarded herewith. You are requested to sanction the said proposal,” the letter, signed by SN Joshi, Under Secretary to the Government of Maharashtra, had stated.
However, the proposal was caught in the proverbial bureaucratic red-tape. The elevation of the then Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal as Chief Minister of Assam further added to the hurdles. VHA’s representative had met Sonowal before Assam elections but after that the process came to a grinding halt.
Later, VHA submitted all the required documents to the concerned department. However, to their bad luck, the ministry decided to rename the Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS) and asked VHA to submit their proposal in ‘Khelo India Infrastructure Scheme’, it has been learnt.
In the meantime, VHA president Sarda met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and submitted a letter requesting him to look into the matter.
“CM Fadnavis assured me to look into the matter. He has directed concerned officials to speed up the work. Now our proposal has once again gained pace,” Sarda told ‘The Hitavada’.
Under the ‘Khelo India Sports Infrastructure Scheme’, VHA can get a maximum admissible grant of Rs 5.50 crore for synthetic hockey field.
With Fadnavis himself taking the initiative, an astro turf in the heart of the city could be a reality. It would be great for the players who are yearning for years to practice on synthetic turf.
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