By Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network—Udupi (RS/CN)
Udupi, Aug 30: The District Athletics Association organized ‘National Sports Day’ on Saturday August 29 at the Town Hall and later a procession was taken out by athletes and sportspersons in association with Nitte Engineering College.
Dr Y S Kulkarni, principal, Nitte Engineering College, inaugurated the programme which was presided over by MLA Raghupathy Bhat. Speaking on the occasion, Bhat said, “The state government should fill the vacancies for physical teachers in pre-university colleges immediately. The sports sector should be given more importance and students participating in sports should be encouraged by the government”.
“The local administration should use two percent of funds for sports activities, but this is not being done. By next year, it should be increased to five percent and there is a need to utilize these funds for encouraging sports”, he said, adding that students participating in state and district-level sports tournaments and games should be given a minimum of Rs 100 as traveling allowance through the state public education department.
Bhat also said that Ajjarakadu Maidan will be developed with funds from the state government which has already been budgeted. “Plans for construction of another Maidan for cricket and other sports activity is also included in the development plan”, he added.
Babu Shetty, president, State Athletic Association, and sports personalities from the district, were felicitated in the programme.
Sudhakar Shetty, chairman, Urban Development Authority, Udupi, Dr B V Mahidas, deputy director, public education department, Dr Veena, principal, Nitte Pre-university College, physical education director Seethanadi Vittal Shetty, Ramesh, in-charge deputy director of public education, Balakrishna Shetty, president, and Sunil Kumar, vice-president, and Praveen Kumar, secretary, District Athletic Association, were present.
Dinesh, member of the association, welcomed all and Aroor Thimmappa Shetty conducted the programme.