Hints at compulsory sports period in schools

HYDERABAD: The state government is contemplating making sports a compulsory period in all schools from this year, chief minister  N Kiran Kumar Reddy has said.Inaugurating the 57th senior national ball badminton championship for men and women at the HAL Ground in Balanagar on Tuesday, he said the government would build stadiums one in each Assembly constituency by spending  Rs 400 to 500 crore. Emphasising the need for a sports policy to encourage sports in the state, he urged parents to encourage their children to play games and take up sports as any other profession.He said encouragement should be given to sportsmen by giving fee waiver, providing employment and career advancement. He appreciated the encouragement being given by railways, HAL, Army, Air Force, police and other government departments and undertakings to sportspersons by providing them employment. He appealed to the media to popularise rural sports in a big way and to give equal weightage to all sports.