Khammam: The CM Cup sports competitions were meant to bring out the skills of sportspersons from rural areas to the state level, Sports Authority of Telangana State (SATS) chairman Dr. E Anjaneya Goud said here on Tuesday.
He attended the CM Cup-2023 competitions here on Tuesday and presented the medals to the winners. Speaking to the media on the occasion, he said the CM Cup event received excellent response in the State with 4.5 lakh players participating in sports and games conducted under the aegis of SATS at 617 mandal mandal headquarters.
In Khammam more than 6000 players participated in the mandal level competitions and more than 1500 athletes participated in the district level competitions.
With the vision of the Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao sports were being promoted to produce national and international athletes from the rural level, he said, adding that the State government had built 17, 000 Telangana Kreeda Pranganams.
In the past, Rs 25 lakh were given to prepare for the Olympic competitions, now the Telangana government is giving Rs 2.5 crore. Unlike anywhere else in the country, the athletes were encouraged by giving them 600 yard house plots in areas like Jubilee Hills, he noted.
The government was also encouraging sportspersons by giving 0.5 percent reservation in professional courses and two percent in government jobs, he added.