Srinagar, October 7: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the government is working to strengthen sports infrastructure and appoint trained coaches to encourage young people to take up disciplines beyond the traditional favourites such as cricket and football.
Omar made the remarks while inaugurating new sports facilities, including an Olympic-size swimming pool equipped with solar heating and an indoor gymnastics hall.
The Chief Minister said the government previously appointed coaches without ensuring adequate infrastructure, but efforts are now being made to develop facilities and coaching opportunities together.
“We want to take our children beyond cricket, football, hockey and volleyball. For the first time in Kashmir, an Olympic-size swimming pool has come up with solar heating facility so children can train for 12 months. Similarly, a magnificent indoor gymnastics hall has been inaugurated. Earlier, gymnastics was associated only with Jammu,” he said.
Reacting to the recent administrative reshuffle ordered by the Lieutenant Governor, Omar said such transfers were part of the administrative system and that the elected government would continue working with officers regardless of their postings.
On the proposed expansion of the Council of Ministers, the Chief Minister said he would hold discussions with National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah after attending the GST Council meeting in New Delhi.
He said the government had earlier indicated that the cabinet expansion would take place after the Assembly session, which has now concluded.
Regarding the Business Rules that have remained pending since 2020, Omar said the process was nearing completion. He said the government was making final adjustments to address contradictions before formally notifying the rules.
“We did not want to do it in haste. It will be notified soon,” he said.
On the ongoing controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, Omar alleged that the exercise was intended to facilitate the BJP by altering voter lists.
He also referred to a report published by The Indian Express, saying that if the report was incorrect, the concerned newspaper should have faced legal action.
“If the Indian Express report was fabricated, a defamation case should have been filed. Since no action has been taken, we will assume what the newspaper wrote is correct,” Omar said.
He further said the INDIA bloc's month-long campaign against the SIR exercise, announced by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, would also be launched in Jammu and Kashmir.
