Talking to mediapersons at the guest house of National Institute of Sports (NIS) here, she said that the government has planned to construct stadiums at block levels and new sports schools would be opened to encourage sports at the grass-root level.

She was here to launch a programme for preparation of sportspersons for Olympics 2000.

The Minister said that it has also been decided to provide monetary help in shape of cash awards to sportspersons. She announced that if the Indian cricket team would win the World Cup, the team be would provided a sum of Rs 15 lakh and each member would be given Rs 7.5 lakh. Asked why the government planned to encourage only cricket, she said the people love the game.

She said that the government, in consultation with the national federation and Indian Olympics Association, was preparing a long term programme to train outstanding sportspersons. They shall be trained not only in India but also in specialised institutes abroad under both national and foreign coaches and provided full medical support.

Uma Bharati further pointed out that she had also laid stress on promoting a large number of sportspersons in various disciplines, at the sub-junior and junior stage itself. To achieve this objective, the number of trainees in various Sports Authoriy of India (SAI) training centres was being increased from 3,500 to at least 6,500 during year 1999-2000. It was further pointed out that the SAI had invited both public and private sector corporate houses to set up joint venture sports academies, at least one for each sport, where outstanding sportspersons could be adopted and trained.