Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren launched Jharkhand Sports Policy 2022 in Ranchi on Tuesday, aimed at reducing bottlenecks from the path of sportspersons in excelling at national and international events.

The sports policy, made for a period of five years, is the second such policy framework in Jharkhand. The last such policy was made in 2007.

“Sportspersons of Jharkhand have not only represented the state but also the country in international competitions and also won medals bringing laurels for the state. However, these sportspeople prepare themselves in the state with very limited resources. We feel proud that sporting talents from Jharkhand win medals despite practising without much infrastructure. Our government has worked on making a new sports policy aimed at not only encouraging and motivating players, coaches and trainers through prizes and incentives but also improving infrastructure at the grassroots level. We aim to become a leading state in the sporting arena in the next few years,” said Soren.

The chief minister further said: “I have worked closely to understand the interest, awareness and inclination towards sports among the youths of Jharkhand. Our priority is to provide a platform to the players. I am confident that the new sports policy framed by the state government will help our players in excelling in different disciplines without any hindrances.”

Soren also assured that the policy would be reviewed from time to time and amended as per the needs and situations of the sportspeople. “We would be reviewing the policy regularly and amendments would be made from time to time as per the need. While I was going through the sports policy, I found lots of disparity in the incentive and assistance amount given to sportspeople. I would ask the sports department to consider giving Rs 50,000 as the minimum assistance amount to the sportspersons by bringing change in the policy,” said Soren.

“We are also considering securing the future of the players even after their retirement from active sports. The state is making plans to appoint sports teachers in schools from among retired sportspersons,” said Soren.

On the occasion, 13 international and national medallists in different disciplines were given cash prizes by the chief minister.

The policy aims to create the country's first sports digital database for all the players of the state, establishment of a sports university, reservation for sportspersons in jobs and educational institutions, and direct recruitment of Jharkhand players to the second, third and fourth-grade state government jobs, assistance money for players and coaches.

Provision has also been made in the Sports Policy 2022 regarding rural sports centres, sports academies, sports science, sports talent search, sports infrastructure development, coach development, physical fitness programme, sports branding and transparency and hosting league matches.

A special initiative will be taken for a road map in football, archery and athletics and State Sports Development Fund will be created to promote the sports environment in the state.