Chennai: Tamil Nadu will introduce a special education system for students staying in sports hostels across the state, sports minister Aadhav Arjuna said in the Assembly on Tuesday. The proposed system is aimed at helping young athletes balance intensive training with academics as the state seeks to build a stronger pipeline of athletes for the Olympics.Presenting his maiden demand for grants, Arjuna said children as young as eight would be identified through schools and housed in sports hostels to nurture their sporting talent.“Children as young as 8 will be selected from schools and housed in sports hostels to hone their talents. After vigorous practice between 5.30am and 8.30am, they will not be able to focus on classes in school. So, we need to create a special education system for them like in Singapore and the US,” he said.He also called for a long-term vision for the Olympics and said children should get at least an hour of physical activity every day. “Children sit in class for hours. They should get at least one hour to play per day. We should create a system for this like abroad. Children should also be taught to take care of their health,” he said.The government plans to establish an SDAT Talent Research Wing to identify promising athletes aged eight to 18 under an Olympic Talent Research programme. With an allocation of ₹5 crore, the initiative will involve the School Education Department and SDAT and provide selected youngsters with specialised training and guidance.The state will also establish 10 Olympic Centres of Excellence across disciplines in Kancheepuram, Coimbatore, Nagapattinam, Chengalpattu and other districts with university and sports infrastructure. A separate Paralympic Centre of Excellence will come up in Chennai.Under the Play for All scheme, around 500 sports grounds attached to urban local bodies and municipalities will be identified and upgraded with an allocation of ₹50 crore. The state currently has 44 sports stadiums across 27 districts.A High-Rise Multi-Sports Centre is proposed at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, while an SDAT Olympic Illam will be established in Chennai to support international sporting events.The government has also proposed a Tamil Nadu Sports Act covering athlete protection, fair selection, transparency and safe sporting environments. Internal Complaints Committees will be established across districts.Financial assistance for athletes will be enhanced under various schemes. Support under the Mission International Medal Scheme will rise from ₹12 lakh to ₹15 lakh, while assistance under the Champions Development Scheme will increase from ₹4 lakh to ₹8 lakh. Cash incentives for international medal winners will also be increased.The roadmap includes a Tamil Nadu traditional sports festival, with ₹42 crore earmarked to promote sports such as kabaddi, kho-kho, silambam, kalariyapattu and mallakhamb. A Singappen Sporting Festival will focus on encouraging women in sports.The government will also establish a ₹15-crore Sports Equipment Bank and introduce a National Institute of Sports-recognised Diploma in Sports Coaching. A sports cadet training academy is proposed at Koyambedu.Other initiatives include skating rinks, district-level equipment banks, sports facilities for transgender athletes and greater use of sports science and technology. An Athletes Development Centre for school and college students will also be established with an allocation of ₹1.77 crore.
