Bhubaneswar: The state govt has sanctioned Rs 2.42 crore to promote sports among local youth in Maoist-affected regions.Under the state’s Gramodaya initiative — launched in Oct 2024 to strengthen basic infrastructure — 485 villages in Bargarh, Balangir, Boudh, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Nuapada and Rayagada districts will each receive sports kits worth Rs 50,000.
“The govt has taken this major step to integrate the youth of remote and Maoist-affected areas into the mainstream while nurturing sporting talent,” said a senior govt official.Each kit will include equipment for outdoor games such as cricket, football, volleyball and badminton as well as indoor games like chess and carrom. A distinctive feature of the programme is that local youth clubs will be entrusted with purchasing the equipment.“In villages without such clubs, district sports officers will facilitate the formation of new ones to connect young people with the social mainstream,” the official said.The govt authorities emphasised that Gramodaya is more than a distribution scheme — it is intended as a message of peace, progress, and social harmony. “The programme seeks to spotlight hidden talent from remote areas while encouraging a healthy and disciplined lifestyle,” the official said.Beyond sports, Gramodaya also provides essential facilities such as road connectivity, healthcare, community centres, water supply, recreational spaces, solar lighting, subsidised shops, agricultural support, electricity, schools, telecommunications and banking services in Naxal-affected regions.“As the March 31 deadline to free India of Naxal menace nears, the govt remains committed to a uniform strategy of proactive security response and holistic development in Left-wing extremism-affected areas,” the officer said.
