Jammu, March 5 (Scoop News)-J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that Jammu and Kashmir State is a major tourist destination in the world and attracts tourists in large numbers to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Kashmir valley and the City of Temples. He said that the State Government has taken up an ambitious programme of building sports infrastructure and renovation of existing stadia in all the three regions of the State, so that the latest facilities are provided to enthusiastic youth at Block and Panchayat levels.
The Chief Minister was addressing an impressive function at Indoor Stadium, Jammu after declaring 17th J&K Bank Veteran National Table Tennis Championship open.
Around 700 veterans from across the country are participating in 5 day Championship which would conclude on 9th March 2010.
Minister for Youth Service and Sports, R.S. Chib, Advisor to Chief Minister, Mubark Gul, Political Advisor to Chief Minister Devinder Rana, Commissioner/Secretary, Finance and Chairman J&K Table Tennis Association, Sudhanshu Pandey, DG Sports, S. A. Leharwal, Director Sports, G.M Dar and Member JKCA Prof. Ranjit Kalra were present on the occasion.
Omar, who is also Chief Patron of the J&K Table Tennis Association, further said that several steps have been taken to identify land for construction of stadia and playing fields in various districts and construction work will be started shortly.
Welcoming the participants, the Chief Minister assured of all assistance from the State Government to make their visit memorable and comfortable .He invited participants for a Gondola ride in Gulmarg after the Championship is over.
Referring to the disturbed situation during the past two decades, the Chief Minister said that the State is returning to normalcy and peace is prevailing everywhere. Calling participants as ambassadors of peace, he said that they will carry back the message of peace so that the ground situation of the State is conveyed to the people across the country.
Minister for Youth Service and Sports, R.S. Chib, while addressing the function, said that the inauguration of J&K Bank Veteran National Table Tennis Championship is a milestone in the history of sports of Jammu and Kashmir. Expressing his gratitude to the Table Tennis Associations of the country for deputing their sports persons for the tourney. Chib said by virtue of this event, the youth of the State, having great fascination for sports would receive inspiration, guidance and encouragement, especially when the dynamic Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is keen to strengthen sports sector of the State.
Chib said that the State is heading towards progress and prosperity under the Chief Minister’s leadership and his role is most significant for boosting sports in the State.
At the outset, the Chief Minister and other dignitaries lit the traditional lamp amidst chanting of Saraswati Vandana by the participating sportspersons.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister honoured leading TT player of the country and Arjun Awardee Kamlesh Mehta.
Chairman, J&K Table Tennis Association, Sudhanshu Pandey, in his welcome address, gave brief of the today’s event. He said that this is the third event being organised by J&K TT Association. Earlier, two events were organised at Sher-e-Kashmir Indoor Stadium and M.A.Indoor Stadium, Jammu. . Pandey announced that a similar Championship will be held in Srinagar in October this year.
The participants are from Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar,, Chandigarh,K erala, Medhaya Pradesh, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Goa, Gujarat, Delhi, Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, Haryana, Chhatisgarh and several other states.