Anantnag, Oct 23: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Youth Services & Sports, Transport, IT, Science & Technology and ARI & Trainings, Satish Sharma, in presence of MLA Bijbehara, Dr Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri, on Wednesday inaugurated the 3rd JK UT South Kashmir Volleyball championship event here at Indoor Stadium, Bijbehara.
Director General Youth Services and Sports and Secretary Spots Council besides other senior officers of various departments were also present on the occasion.
The event, was organized by the Volleyball Association of J&K in collaboration with the JK Sports Council, aimed to promote sports and physical fitness among the youth in the region.
Speaking after the inauguration, Satish Sharma reiterated Omar Abdullah led government’s commitment towards identifying and nurturing young sports talents, particularly from rural areas.
The Minister said that the event aligns with the vision of promoting grassroot sports and fostering a culture of physical fitness among the youth. He emphasised the youth to join sports while terming them as a tool against drug menace.
While Praising the local atheletes for their dedication and hard work, the Minister encouraged them by paying Rs 20,000/- to a local international volleyball player Muqaddas Muskan and Rs 10,000/- to the ground man Mohd Shafi for his hard work in maintaining the cricket pitch, out of his first salary.
Satish Sharma emphasized the importance of sports in fostering unity, discipline and a sense of teamwork among the youth.
The Minister appreciated the Department of Youth Services and Sports for their efforts in nurturing young talent and fostering a culture of sports excellence in the region by organising such events in the near future as well.
He reiterated that the present day government under the leadership of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is committed to provide better sports facilities for youth in Jammu and Kashmir. Every effort will be made to ensure cross cultural contact between the athletes of other states for better exposure and promoting competitiveness in sports.
During the mega event, various competitions were held in volleyball and other sports, attracting participants from other districts of the Union Territory.
The Volleyball Association expressed gratitude to the Minister to provide the local talent a platform to showcase their talent.
