SPAT presentation in CW Advisory Board

by Haryananewswire (Balbir)
CHANDIGARH, JAN 19
The Play for India Sports Hunt- Sports Physical Aptitude Test (SPAT) programme of Haryana has been chosen for presentation in the conference of Commonwealth Advisory Board on Sports to be held in Delhi next month.
While stating this today at Gurgaon, Director, Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, Haryana Mr O.P Singh said that the delegates participating in the conference would also go for a field visit to Moti Lal Nehru School of Sports, Rai on February,9. The delegates of 70 Commonwealth countries would share their experiences and good practices in this conference.
He said that the SPAT programme of Haryana is a unique programme in the country which aims at ‘catch them young’ and grooming the budding players from a younger age. This programme is not only attracting the sports talent in the state but it has become a matter of discussion and study among other states also. The Sports Ministry of Government of India is also wondering that how Haryana is able to attract the players in such a large number. This year about 25 lakh sports persons in age group of 8 to19 years applied under SPAT- 2011 programme. Out of these, about 7.5 lakh applications were received online.
 Mr. O.P Singh said that the first round of SPAT- 2011 was held in schools itself from December 3 to 9, 2010 and the players who scored 75 percent or more marks in the three tests of physical ability were now taking the second round. He said that in this second round, which began in all the districts of Haryana except Palwal and Mewat from today, 1.11 lakh players were participating. Those who scored 75 percent and above marks would be able to participate in the third round which is scheduled to be organized in second week of February.
The third round will be organized at a place centrally located from the districts from where maximum number of players qualifies. He said that the schedule of SPAT- 2011 has been uploaded on the website
www.play4india.com from where anyone can see it.
Mr Singh said that this time 5000 budding players in the age group of 8 to 19 years would be selected through this SPAT programme and a scholarships totaling Rs 10 crore would be disbursed among them in
one year. The players in age group of 8 to14 years would be given Rs 1500 per month each while the players in age group of 14 to19 years would get Rs 2000 per month each. This amount would be debited
directly into the bank accounts of the players.
He said that the Chief Minister Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda has announced to open multi discipline sports development centers at all the four divisional headquarters in the state. Competitions between
the sports persons selected through SPAT- 2011 at each division would be held to imbibe in them the feeling of competitiveness, he added.