*Over 35 lakh youth engaged in sports activities this year
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 16: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today chaired a comprehensive review meeting to assess the performance of the Youth Services & Sports Department and the Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Youth Services & Sports; Director General, Youth Services & Sports; Secretary, Sports Council and other senior officers of the Department.
The Chief Secretary took a detailed review of the initiatives undertaken by departments to strengthen sports ecosystem across UT through grassroot competitions, talent identification programmes, national-level sporting events and digital youth engagement platforms.
Commissioner Secretary Youth Services & Sports, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary presented a detailed overview of the department’s initiatives.
He said efforts are also underway to bring national and international sporting events to Jammu and Kashmir. He also inform that the first-ever Draft Youth Policy for Jammu and Kashmir has been prepared to provide a strategic roadmap for youth empowerment, leadership development and sports promotion.
Director General YS&S, Anuradha Gupta informed that the flagship grassroots sports league “Leagues of Classics – Enjoy the Game 1.0” has already engaged more than 2.23 lakh youth as of March 13, 2026 in sports such as cricket, football and volleyball at zonal and district levels, with participation expected to reach around 2.53 lakh by April 2026.
J&K Sports Council, Secretary Nuzhat Gul informed that between April 1, 2025 and February 28, 2026, the Council organised 1,076 sports activities across 50 disciplines, engaging over 32.33 lakh youth across Jammu and Kashmir. The Government has fixed a target of 37.50 lakh youth engagement for the financial year 2025-26, which is expected to be exceeded with participation projected to reach around 37.75 lakh by March 2026.
The Chief Secretary also reviewed the progress of sports infrastructure projects being implemented by the Council under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme. It was informed that Rs 53 Cr out of the approved outlay of Rs 55 Cr has already been released and fully utilised.
It was highlighted that more than 50 sports infrastructure projects across districts are ready for inauguration. The Sports Council also presented its roadmap for April 2026 to March 2027, which includes hosting several national and international sporting events in the Union Territory. Major upcoming events include the International Rafting Championship in September 2026, the South Asian Wushu Championship and the Asian Aerobic Gymnastics Championship, all proposed to be organised in Srinagar.
In addition, the Council plans to launch several new initiatives including a Women Rugby League, Thang Ta League, and Chess and Carrom Leagues to provide wider sporting platforms for athletes across different age groups.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
