By IANS
New Delhi : The Sports Ministry Friday sought to consult all stakeholders, including the public, on its draft of the Comprehensive National Sports Policy 2007, which is aimed at "… transforming India into a leading sporting nation within the next decade".
"The ministry proposes to have a national consultation on the draft policy. It is proposed to have separate consultations with major stakeholders like Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the national sports federations, state governments and other ministries concerned," said an explanatory note to the draft.
The draft policy has been being put on the ministry's website, www.yas.nic.in, inviting comments and suggestions by Aug 25.
These can be sent to I. Srinivas, joint secretary (sports), Room No. 504-B, B Wing, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi 110001 or can be e-mailed to [email protected] or faxed to 011-23384152.
"The ministry will then consider the suggestions and suitably revise the draft policy. Thereafter other ministries would be consulted before placing the same before the cabinet for final approval," said the ministry.
"The ministry believes that the youth-led sports development approach would enable the country to leverage the single most important comparative advantage of a burgeoning youth population it has over other countries," it added.
The policy analyses the developments in the field of sports and youth development in the country since the 1982 Delhi Asian Games.
"It also looks at some of the key lessons to be learnt from other countries such as Cuba and China, where sports and youth development, and indeed national development, have been integrated in such a manner that they have made great progress in achieving the twin objectives of broad-basing sports and achieving excellence in individual disciplines," the ministry said.
"The draft policy … identifies the strengths and weaknesses of sports institutions and works out an integrated strategy for achieving the vision and objectives of 'Sports for All' and promoting excellence."