Deputy Chief Minister Directs Talent Identification, Stronger Sports Associations and Infrastructure Development Across the State
TFP Bureau, Raipur, July 27, 2026: Deputy Chief Minister and Sports & Youth Welfare Minister Arun Sao has called on sports officials and coaches to adopt a fresh vision and modern approach to develop Chhattisgarh into a leading sports hub. Chairing a review meeting of the Sports and Youth Welfare Department in Raipur, he emphasized the need to align the state’s sports ecosystem with international standards while strengthening talent identification, coaching, and sports infrastructure.
The meeting, held at a private hotel in Raipur, was attended by Sports and Youth Welfare Department Secretary Yashwant Kumar, Director Tanuja Salam, senior departmental officials, coaches, and district sports officers.
Sao directed officials and coaches to actively participate in sporting events organized by departments such as School Education, Higher Education, Tribal Welfare, Police, and Forest to identify talented athletes at an early stage. He said promising players should receive proper training, guidance, and support, while departmental officials should also assist organizers with technical expertise and suggestions.
Emphasizing grassroots sports development, the Deputy Chief Minister instructed the department to widely promote its summer sports training camps to ensure greater participation by athletes and sports associations. He also called for the formation of sports associations for every discipline in all districts and directed that these bodies be registered to facilitate government support and strengthen the sports ecosystem.
Highlighting the importance of nurturing talent, Sao instructed officials to make optimum use of the state’s sports infrastructure, Khelo India centres, and trained coaches to groom athletes for higher-level competitions. He directed district sports officers to prepare detailed profiles of national and international athletes, as well as emerging sportspersons from their respective districts. He also encouraged involving accomplished athletes in mentoring and training the next generation of players.
Reviewing sports infrastructure projects, the Deputy Chief Minister stressed the need for regular inspections of stadiums, playgrounds, and sports complexes under construction to ensure they meet the requirements of athletes. He directed officials to coordinate closely with Public Works Department engineers to speed up project execution.
PWD Chief Engineer V.S. Koram was instructed to prioritize pending sports infrastructure projects and complete all necessary formalities to ensure that construction work progresses without delay. Sao also directed that monthly progress reports on these projects be submitted to his office for regular monitoring.
To strengthen sports at the school and village levels, the Deputy Chief Minister asked district sports officers to coordinate with Block Education Officers to include a dedicated sports period in daily school timetables. He also instructed them to work with Janpad Panchayat Chief Executive Officers to organize meetings with village sarpanches and secretaries and encourage the development of a sports-friendly environment in rural areas.
Sao further urged coaches and sports officers to stay updated with the latest international rules, coaching techniques, sports equipment, and training methodologies to ensure that athletes from Chhattisgarh receive world-class guidance and remain competitive at national and international levels.
The meeting was attended by Joint Director of Sports and Youth Welfare Prabhakar Pandey, Deputy Directors Rashmi Thakur and Ravi Agrawal, along with sports officers, senior coaches, and coaches from districts across the state.
