Patna University students play cricket. Telegraph picture

Patna, Feb. 14: At a time when 11-year-old Jharkhand is hosting the 34th National Games this year, its parent state Bihar is lagging far behind when it comes to sports.

The state has not hosted a single mega-sporting event in more than a decade because of the wanting sports facilities.

A source said that one could blame previous governments or sportspersons and their apathy towards development of infrastructure for their state. The infrastructure requires a complete overhaul.

Jharkhand, on the other hand, has already produced a number of sportsperson of international standard, like Indian cricket team captain M.S. Dhoni, shooter Deepika Kumari, hockey player Jaipal Singh and Samurai Tete, and Olympian Sylvanus Dung Dung. In Ranchi, young girls on bicycle, carrying hockey sticks on their backs going to the sports academy for practise, are a common sight. But though JD (U) did give girls bicycles, they seldom go to practise any sport.

Mritunjay Tiwari, the president of Bihar Players’ Association, said: “The state lacks sports facilities. Except Moin-ul Haq Stadium there are no other sporting facilities in the state.

“It is very shameful for the state that C.K. Nayudu Tournament, which was scheduled to be held in Bihar, was called off as the state lacks sporting infrastructure,” added Tiwari.

A number of states were supposed to take part in the event. But it was withdrawn because three or four stadiums are required for hosting the tournament.

The lack of sporting facilities is reflected in the university level as well. Like the state, Patna University (PU), too, has not held any major sporting event in a decade. The last time PU took part in a sports meet was in November-December 2010.

PU officials said that the university has not been sending any team to take part in the inter-university sports meet for the past three years, as the sports board of the university remained defunct. The university never took steps for reviving the sporting facility for the students.

Students of the university also complained of inadequate sports facilities. Amit Jha, a student of Darbhanga House claims all colleges under Patna University has big grounds but hardly any sports meet had taken place in these colleges.

Jha said: “Colleges have common rooms but there are no sports kits. The university never takes any interest in promotion of sports. Other universities have sports quota admission in various courses but PU has removed sports quota last year from the B.ED course.”

Sukhda Pandey, state minister for art culture and sports, said: “The government has taken up the up-gradation process of sports facilities and this has started at the village level. All blocks and districts will have stadiums and training will be provided to sportsperson.”