Kolkata: Rooting out corrupt practices from the state sports arena and bringing glory to Bengal are his main tasks now, said Indranil Khan, after becoming the minister of state (independent charge) for sports and youth affairs and consumer affairs departments on Wednesday. He emphasized that nepotism and syndicates at Maidan clubs must end.
Focus on Merit and Talent
Pointing out how the case in the Messi incident fiasco from December last year has now been reopened, Khan stressed that proper attention must be given to sports management. “During the Trinamool era, merit in any field, including sports, took a backseat. Now, the job will be promoting talented sportsmen so they can bring laurels for the state and achieve success in international arenas. Young talents are to be promoted through organizing regular meets, as it will inspire them to perform better,” he said.
Football and International Aspirations
Khan added, “Even in football, our state players must be encouraged so they can don the Indian tricolour, and ultimately, India can play World Cup matches. We need to ensure that Bengal’s footballers are not deprived or forced to move to other states. Our main task is to take Bengal’s sportsmen to the international level.”
Infrastructure and Training
The state government’s primary goal is to provide world-class training and top-notch infrastructure support to help state athletes compete on international stages like the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games. “We would like to have tie-ups with SAI. Our sportsmen have great potential, which needs to be showcased at global forums. The state will provide all facilities and facilitate by all means,” Khan said.
Addressing Migration
He also noted that the previous Trinamool government had turned youths into migrants, and it is time to check that trend.
