Koraput: The administration has identified as many as seven Maoist-hit blocks out of the total 14 in the district to conduct rural sports under the Khelo India campaign of the Centre.

Officials said the campaign had been designed as an aggressive anti-Maoist tactic to combat Left-wing extremists in Koraput's Maoist-hit areas.

"The campaign will give the tribal youths an opportunity to take part in sporting activity and will be helpful in taking their minds off from counterproductive issues," said Koraput district police superintendent Kanwar Vishal Singh.

Singh said that through sports the tribal youth, who are vulnerable to get misguided by the Maoists, would be made aware about various projects of the government.

"The event will not only help the administration penetrate the most inaccessible villages, but also help in bridging the communicating gap between security forces and villagers in the Maoist-affected areas," he said.

The campaign involving rural sports such as volley ball, football, kho-kho, atheletics and archery among others will be implemented at Narayanpatna, Bandhugaon, Lakshmipur, Pottangi, Nandapur, Lamataput and Boipariguda blocks of the district.

The district administration has formed a high-level team involving district collector and officials of various security agencies, including the central BSF forces, who are engaged in anti-Maoist operations in the district to design and execute the campaign in the selected blocks.

District sports officer Raj Kishore Jena said that under the campaign the district had received financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to conduct the rural sports.

"Sporting activities will be conducted at the village level and then at the panchayat level. Subsequently, the panchayat-level winners will compete in the block-level events," Jena said.

"We hope to conduct the sports from November," he said.

Officials said that apart from Koraput, the worst Maoist-hit Malkangiri is the second district of the state to be included under the campaign.