Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday suggested the BJP MPs to encourage sports in the country. Speaking in the party’s parliamentary meet, the PM pointed out that the MPs must take steps to promote the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana countrywide. BJP held the parliamentary meeting ahead of the last week of monsoon session of the Parliament.
During the parliamentary meet, PM Modi asked MPs to take note of nationwide malnutrition status and promote PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. The PM further lent encouragement in participation in sports activities. The PM’s statements come after the country had its best ever stint at the Olympics winning seven medals. PM Modi during his earlier address to the nation had promised improvements in the sports sector, and the suggestions he put forth in the meeting comes in support of the same.
PM Modi had earlier said that the country must now start working to popularise sports and support athletes at the grassroots levels. The PM was speaking after the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics when he said that it was the “time to keep working to further popularise sports at the grassroots so that new talents emerge and get the opportunity to represent India in the times to come.” Elated by India’s medal wins at the Olympics, PM Modi had also tweeted a congratulatory note to all the participating athletes.
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
Along with suggesting improvements in the sports structure of the country, PM Modi also pushed his party MPs to collect data on malnutrition in the country. He further asked MPs to promote the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. Launched by the Prime Minister in March 2020, the program aims to provide free grains to the citizens of India especially focusing on the vulnerable sections of the country. The scheme was launched to support the citizens facing financial crisis in the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the same, the government provides 5kg of rice/wheat and 1 kg of dal to each family holding a ration card.
India’s performance at the Tokyo Olympics 2020
The PM’s suggestion to promote sports at the grassroots level comes soon after India ended their campaign at Tokyo Olympics 2020 with their best-ever haul of seven medals which includes one gold, two silver, and four bronze. Neeraj Chopra etched history at the Olympics by winning the country’s first-ever Olympic gold in a track and field event on Saturday, August 7. His gold medal became the country’s first in track and field events and second after Abhinav Bindra, who bagged gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The Indian hockey teams, both men’s and women’s, performed well at the Olympics. Following the Indian men’s hockey team’s bronze medal win, many including ministers had suggested improving the facilities for sports in the country.
IMAGE: PTI/ ANI