Nearly 72,000 youths of the worst Maoist-hit districts in Jharkhand will showcase their sports skills for being scouted in government sports centres of excellence.

This was announced by chief minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday during the launch of Sports Action towards Harnessing Aspiration of Youths (SAHAY), one of its kind scheme in the country to dissuade youths from joining ranks of rebels through sports promotion.

“In the first phase, around 72,000 young talents from rebel-hit districts will be scouted and nurtured to shine in the sporting arena. We will soon establish sports nurseries in Maoist-affected areas so that youth of these areas can excel in sports and the sound of bullets gets replaced by the laughter of sports and tourists,” said Soren while launching the scheme in Chaibasa of West Singhbhum," Hemant said.

The sports department has set a target of registering 72,000 youths in the age group of 14 to 19 years in the first phase in rebel hit districts of West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan, Khunti, Gumla and Simdega.

Based on the feedbacks of the first phase, the scheme would be rolled out in other districts of the state.

Jharkhand sports secretary Amitabh Kaushal confirmed that over 44,000 have already registered under the scheme in all these districts and their database will be stored at panchayat, block and district level for training in sports disciplines such as athletics, hockey, football and volleyball.

“We hope youths earn identity through sports. The winner and runner-up teams will be felicitated at the district and state levels by giving them incentives ranging between Rs 2,000 and Rs 10,000. We want to imbibe a positive attitude among the youths through this scheme so that nobody can woo them for doing wrong,” said Hemant, promising that the scheme implementation would be personally monitored by him after every six months.

Later in the day, the chief minister distributed assets and loans worth over Rs 1,400 crore among 5,34,752 beneficiaries of West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan districts under the Apke Adhikar, Apki Sarkar, Apke Dwar programme of Kolhan division in Chaibasa.

The chief minister announced that soon a skill university would be established in Jharkhand.

“We are working on establishing skill development university where there will be an initiative to connect the youth with employment by making them skilled. Local languages have been included in the examinations with priority,” said Hemant.

Incidentally, Hemant while reviewing the work of the higher and technical education department of Jharkhand at Ranchi on Tuesday had announced of the skill development university for qualitative improvement in the development of higher and technical education and providing opportunities in the field of skill development and entrepreneurship.