221 Golf playfields to be constructed in all 20 districts this year: LG

Jammu: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today inaugurated Golf Training Academy for students of government schools at Jammu Tawi Golf Course.
Speaking on the occasion, the Lt Governor said that the UT administration is making efforts to make this game inclusive and accessible to common masses.
The Lt Governor said the administration has already established a Golf Academy at Kashmir Golf Course, Srinagar, to popularize golf among youth and students. And, now within a year, the first batch of 100 children is starting their basic training at Jammu Tawi Golf Course and after 15 days, Phase-2 of this training will commence. More students from government established schools in different districts would be provided golf training, he added.
Pertinently, the newly inaugurated Golf Academy at Jammu Tawi Golf Course aims to train the students & youth and to support them turn into professional golfers so that the youth of J&K is able to showcase their talent in the professional domain. The academy will run a program of continuous education for general public including kids, adults, and amateur golfers, besides certifying the individuals participating in the program. It will also be a training centre for the national and state-level players.
The Lt Governor observed that J&K is a powerhouse of sporting talent and the UT administration is committed to provide both opportunities and resources to advance coaching.
Underlining that the sport connects people in the society, the Lt Governor said that the Golf Academy started at Jammu Tawi Golf Course is a symbol of that spirit.
International level golf courses have been built all over Jammu and Kashmir. It is our endeavor that UT emerges as one of the top golfing destinations of the country in the coming days, the Lt Governor observed.
The Lt Governor further said that a Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) event was organized in Srinagar and now a similar tournament will now be held in Jammu. Further, the Sanasar Golf Course will also be revamped.
“Prime Minister has ended the decades-old practice of discrimination in J&K by establishing a citizen friendly, accountable and responsible governance system post August 2019. We are making relentless efforts to ensure every person in the society feels connected to the mainstream”, the Lt Governor added.
The Lt Governor said that in the last one year, appointments to 11,000 government posts have been made where youth, especially girls from common poor & marginalized households have secured government jobs on the basis of merit. He said that the new governance system believes in corruption-free, transparent, and inclusive growth.
Developing sports infrastructure, organizing sports events in every nook and corner of UT, arranging the best coaches, continuously monitoring and fully utilizing the existing assets are the broad strategies that the UT administration has been working on for the last one and a half years to completely transform the sporting ecosystem in the J&K, the Lt Governor said.
This year, 221 playfields will be constructed in all 20 districts, besides construction/upgradation of 157 sports courts will be completed, he further added.
On the occasion, the Lt Governor also distributed handbook on Basic Skills of Golf to the children.
Sh Sarmad Hafeez, Secretary to the Government, Tourism department, in his welcome address gave details of the Golf Academy and its Courses opened for students from Government established Schools. He also highlighted different flagship projects for increasing the tourism potential of Jammu region.
Sh R K Goyal, Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department; Dr. Raghav Langer, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu; Sheikh Fayaz Ahmad, Commissioner/Secretary Department of Floriculture, Parks, and Gardens, besides officials of Jammu Tawi Golf Course and students of various government schools were present. (GNS)