Jammu, Feb 11 (KNS): In 2017, It was hailed as an important project to fight the rising drug menace  when 200 community coaches trained under Prime Ministers Special Package were engaged in J&K by J&K Sports Council during the PDP-BJP alliance government in 2017. 

However, within a year after the fall of the elected government, these coaches appointed in each district of J&K were disengaged by J&K Sports Council during the Governor rule in 2018. Since then these promising youth are running from pillar to post seeking justice.

Ironically, Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory administration had made several announcements regarding focus on engaging the youth and laying thrust on development of sports infrastructure at the grassroots, however, no mention is made of these 200 youth who have been left in fend for themselves and face an uncertain future.

Disengagement of these coaches totally contradict the official line of youth engagement as hundreds of youth coaches  are facing mental harassment at the official level and also loss of creating resentment among youngsters.

The UT government has launched a Mission Youth for the multidimensional development of the youth. Under this program, a state-of-the-art youth centre will be created in every district, but why highly trained coaches have been shunted out.

Nearly Rs 200 crore sanctioned under Prime Minister’s Development Package, another Rs 30 Crore sanctioned by the Government for boosting sports infrastructure, training facilities to nurture the local talent but community coaches are being treated as a pariah.

Majority of the sportspersons were trained at National Institute of Sports (NIS), Patiala for eight-week special certificate course under Prime Minister’s Special Package from October 2016 to April 2017. In the first batch, the then government had sent 40 students for specialised training and coaching at NIS Patiala, whereas 42 and 80 students were sent in 2nd and 3rd batch respectively. These highly trained coaches had brought new energy to the stagnant sports facilities in the erstwhile state. 

There were three batches and later they were appointed as community coaches in their respective districts under Sports Council. “There are 200 NIS certified community coaches who were engaged by JK State Sports Council on the monthly salary of Rs 5000 on July 2017. But without any justification, we were disengaged by the government. This is total injustice with the professional sportspersons who are sitting totally idle”, said a community coach. 

Government of India had spent a huge amount on their training and we want their issues should be resolved they should be absorbed according to games as most of our stadiums are running without coaches (KNS)