J&K Govt backs sports to fight drug abuse, but infrastructure upgrade hinges on funds

Srinagar, Mar 24: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday acknowledged that promoting sports plays a crucial role in tackling the rising menace of drug addiction among youth. However, the upgrade of sports infrastructure across the region remains dependent on the availability of financial resources.

Responding to a question by legislator Justice Hasnain Masoodi during the ongoing budget session of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly in Jammu, the government stated that sports engagement helped youth develop essential life skills like discipline, teamwork, and hard work.

The government stated that such acts were deterrents against substance abuse.

The minister in charge for youth service and sports highlighted the My Youth My Pride initiative, stating that initiative aimed to involve young people in sports activities as a preventive measure against drug addiction.

“The promotion of sports has key role in combating ever increasing menace of drug addiction and help keep away youth from drug addiction. By engaging youth in sports they can develop essential life skill such as discipline, hard work and team works which can help them resist the attraction towards drugs. The focus of the My youth My pride activities is to engage the youth in sports,” the government said in it’s response.

The government said that the maintenance efforts were being made but confirmed that any large-scale upgradation of playfields and infrastructure depended on the availability of financial resources.

“The department is making efforts for the upgradation / development of playfields other Sports infrastructure as per the availability of financial resources," the government response added.

Notably, the statement comes amid growing concerns over rising substance abuse among Kashmiri youth. In recent years, J&K has witnessed a surge in drug-related cases, prompting calls for more proactive measures to address the crisis.

The NC legislator also sought information on steps taken for the development of Sports Stadium Pampore, to which the government highlighted a series of infrastructural works, which included synthetic volleyball and basketball courts, two cricket net practice pitches, change room-cum-mini pavilion block, dugout area, chain-link fencing and boundary wall, jogging path, levelling and filling of the field, and drainage system.

The government response added that execution of work for Badminton Court at Kadlabal Pampore was in progress.