CSR funds should be brought in for development of sports infrastructure: Sharad Pawar

In a review meet for the under-construction International Sports University at Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar urged private firms to invest in development of sports infrastructure via corporate social responsibility funds along with government funding.

“People from private firms should come forward and utilise the corporate social responsibility funding for the development of sports infrastructure along with government funding,” said Pawar.

“The International Sports University, Maharashtra will be instrumental in creating technical manpower for sports management, job creation in the sports sector and sports training. Athletes should take full advantage of these upcoming advanced facilities,” added Pawar.

While visiting the stadium, Pawar visited a renovated hockey stadium along with a swimming pool and shooting range.

The government has sanctioned ₹400 crore for the International Sports University which is slated to be developed in a phased manner.

In the first phase, courses for sports science, sports technology and sports coaching and training with capacity of 50 students for each course will begin.

The construction of the university slowed down due to the second wave of Covid-19. Things slowed down with the eruption of the second Covid wave. We are focusing on speeding up the work on priority for this project,” said Sunil Kedar, state sports and youth affairs minister.

Cars parked on track

While the review meeting was underway in the main building of Shiv Chhatrapati sports complex, many officials parked cars in the main athletic stadium on the main athletic track.

Even though the whole parking space in the front side of the stadium was vacant, officials opted to park their cars on the main stadium track.

“Such incident will not happen in future. Once the international sports university starts, the grounds in the sports complex will be only used for the sports activities,” said Kedar.

In the past, management has given the ground many a times for political function and marriage celebrations.

“Officials always take such things lightly. Driving or parking a car damages the synthetic track. Already track has developed bubbles in between and such activities will make it worse for running,” said an athlete on the request of anonymity who trains at the main athletic stadium.