By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Rudrapur, 13 Dec: A new chapter was added to Uttarakhand’s sports infrastructure when Sports Minister Rekha Arya inaugurated the Cycling Velodrome in Rudrapur on Friday. With this, Uttarakhand has become the 8th state in the country to have a Cycling Velodrome.
On Friday, at the Manoj Sarkar Sports Stadium in Rudrapur, Sports Minister Rekha Arya performed the ceremonial prayers and inaugurated the Velodrome. This Velodrome, built at a cost of Rs 23.12 crore, took about 18 months to complete. On this occasion, Sports Minister Rekha Arya said that, in the absence of such facilities, players used to go to other states to compete, winning medals for those states. However, now the government is committed to providing all the necessary sports facilities within the state. She also assured the players at the stadium that they should focus solely on their sport, and that the government would take care of their careers, jobs, and all their needs. The Minister stated that the government would not only reward players after they win medals, but would also stand by them during their training, as a guardian at every step. She further added that national-level competitions in cycling, volleyball, and handball would be held in Rudrapur, marking a historic moment for the city.
The Sports Minister also mentioned that the government has decided to develop the state as a hub for sports, and plans are being considered to provide a subsidy of up to 50% for sports academies to be established here. She emphasised that good players and coaches would not face any shortage of resources.
On Friday, Rekha Arya also inaugurated a sports hostel in Sakainya, Gadarpur, in the Udham Singh Nagar district. She explained that the 60-bed hostel was set up to provide national-level sports facilities, accommodation, and meals to children from rural areas like Sakainya. She said that Sakainya would now be recognised as a nursery for budding athletes. The hostel was constructed at a cost of Rs 4.09 crore.
After the inauguration of the sports hostel in Sakainya, as Sports Minister Rekha Arya was heading towards her car, there was a rush among the children to meet her. Hundreds of children called for her attention, and she went over to interact with them. She asked the children how much time they spent studying, playing, and using their phones. Minister Arya encouraged them to reduce their screen time and spend more time outdoors, engaging in sports.
On her way to Rudrapur, BJP workers warmly welcomed Cabinet Minister Rekha Arya. She briefly stopped at the office of the Kashipur District President, Gunjan Sukheja, in Gadarpur, where she met with the workers and inquired about their well-being. She also urged all party workers to actively support the upcoming national games.
Along with Minister Rekha Arya, former Rudrapur Mayor Ram Pal Singh, District President Gunjan Sukheja, BJP leaders Bharat Bhushan Chugh, District General Secretary, Udham Singh Nagar, Amit Narang, District Secretary, Kashipur, Amit Narang, Bhupesh Agarwal, Bharat Valdiya, Vijay Chaudhary, DSO Janaki Karki, and DO Youth Welfare BS Rawat were present at the event.
