*Govt to engage 75 lakh youth in sports activities: CM Omar Abdullah*

Srinagar, Mar 07 Stating that the government would engage 75 lakh youth in sports activities to foster a culture of fitness and excellence, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday announced multiple sports initiatives for Jammu and Kashmir.

The Chief Minister, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) informed the Legislative Assembly that the national centres of excellence for water sports will be established at Dal Lake in Srinagar and Basohli in Jammu.

“A Gymnastics Academy will be set up at Gindun Rajbagh and Khel Gaon, Nagrota to provide specialized coaching for budding gymnasts,” he said, adding, “To nurture young cricketing talent, four Cricket Academies will be established with a budgetary allocation of Rs 28 crore. Additionally, the government will construct two new Youth Hostels—one each in Jammu and Kashmir divisions—with a provision of Rs 10 crore.”

Furthermore, Omar said that the high-performance training centers will be developed in all districts in a phased manner to enhance athlete training and performance at the grassroots level—