In a bid to give a major boost to sports in remote areas of the country, the Centre has decided to allow MPs to spend their local area development fund for creating sporting facilities in their respective constituencies.
According to an official release, the MPs in rural areas would now be able to recommend spending of funds under Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme for creating Panchyat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA).
Similarly in the urban areas, the parliamentarians would be allowed to spend on creating the Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS) of the ministry of youth affairs and sports.
The release said, “The government received representations for allowing convergence of MPLADS with that of creation of sports infrastructure. After examining them it has been decided with the approval of minister of state for programme implementation Srikant Jena to allow the convergence.”
It is learnt that the permission has been granted keeping in view creation of durable sporting facilities in remote parts of the country.
“MPs may recommend under MPLADS, works such as Development of playfields only of fixed and durable nature under PYKKA including leveling of playgrounds in hilly areas, construction of boundary wall, etc. in villages and blocks from out of the shelf of PYKKA projects.
Similarly, in the urban areas, convergence with the USIS will also be permissible for creation of durable sports assets such as multi-purpose sports halls, athletic tracks, football, hockey turf, etc. as per the provisions of guidelines on MPLADS,” the release said.