The Odisha government will distribute sports kits to 485 Maoist-affected villages across 10 districts.
Officials said the initiative aims to identify sporting talent and channelise the energy of young people towards positive pursuits.
The villages in Bargarh, Balangir, Boudh, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Nuapada and Rayagada will receive equipment for outdoor games such as cricket, football, volleyball and badminton, as well as indoor games like chess and carrom.
The programme will be implemented under the Gramodaya campaign, for which the sports department has sanctioned ₹2.42 crore. Each identified village will receive a sports kit worth ₹50,000.
Local youth clubs will be entrusted with purchasing the sports equipment. In villages where no such clubs exist, district sports officers will facilitate the formation of new clubs to engage local youths through community participation.
11 lay down arms
Eleven Maoists laid down their arms in Odisha’s Kalahandi district on Sunday. The cadres, including a divisional committee member, carried a combined bounty of ₹63.25 lakh.