SRINAGAR: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FS&CA), Information Technology (IT), Youth Services & Sports, and Science & Technology, Satish Sharma, today said that 221 out of 355 Gram Panchayats (GPs) in Jammu and Kashmir have either existing or constructed playfields under the One Panchayat-One Playfield initiative.
The Minister was replying to a question raised by MLA G A Mir regarding implementation of the 'One Panchayat-One Playfield' initiative, particularly with reference to Dooru Constituency and the status of sports infrastructure and proposed playfields there.
Quoting information received from the Rural Development Department, Satish Sharma said that 221 out of 355 Gram Panchayats covered under the initiative have playfields, either already existing or newly constructed.
Giving details of Dooru Constituency, the Minister informed the House that 37 out of 66 Gram Panchayats have playfields. He said the Youth Services & Sports Department has taken up two playfield projects in Dooru Constituency during the past three years. The Playfield at Larkipora near ADV Road Bathuno, taken up during 2024-25 at a cost of Rs 48.55 lakh, has achieved 90 per cent completion, added. He apprised that another Playfield at Shangren has been taken up as a new work during 2026-27 at an estimated cost of Rs 80 lakh.
Satish Sharma further informed that 26 playfield sites have been approved under AAP 2026-27 as part of VB-G RAM-G by the Rural Development Department, Anantnag, where suitable government land has been made available by the Revenue Department. He said that development of playfields by the Youth Services & Sports Department is undertaken after following all requisite formalities, including availability of encumbrance-free land, transfer of land and availability of funds.
He said that sports infrastructure in Dooru Constituency is being progressively improved and upgraded through the J&K Sports Council and Directorate of Youth Services & Sports.
The Minister informed that four major sports facilities are being developed or maintained in the constituency including Sports Stadium, Dooru, equipped with a change-room-cum-pavilion, cricket competition pitch, net practice pitch, chain-link fencing, main gate and dugouts. Besides, playfield at Verinag is presently under development with a change-room-cum-pavilion, cricket competition pitch, net practice pitch, chain-link fencing, main gate, dugouts and mechanical roller. The playfield at Qammar Shahbaad, Block Verinag, is being maintained by the J&K Sports Council while the playfield at Bhahi Bachoo Hiller, is being developed with cricket competition pitch, net practice pitch and chain-link fencing, he told the House.
The Minister informed that a DPR amounting Rs 1,035.98 lakh has been prepared for upgradation of Sports Stadium Dooru and is presently under consideration by the Department. The proposed works included pavilion building with change rooms, seating tiers with canopy, cricket competition pitches, net practice pitches, dugouts, synthetic volleyball court, mechanical roller and floodlights, he added.
Regarding proposals for development of playfields at Sayen/Sagam, Sadiwara, Chowgund, Qammar, Dudwangan, Akingam, Hiller Kokernag and other identified locations, Satish Sharma said the sites are under consideration for land transfer and development. He informed that the process for transfer of land to the Youth Services & Sports Department is underway with the Revenue Department while in the case of Sadiwara and Hiller Kokernag, the land-transfer process is yet to be initiated.
The Minister said that once the land preparation and transfer processes are finalised, the department would consider the required development works, subject to availability of funds, land and feasibility. He also informed that a DPR amounting Rs 150 lakh has been prepared for development of the Sayen Sagam playfield, envisaging ground expansion through cutting and filling, protection works, seating tiers, cricket competition pitches, net practice pitches and a synthetic volleyball court.
