Rajahmundry, Aug 1^st: In an attempt to promote sports and games, especially in rural areas by developing infrastructure and providing training to the interested youth, both the Center and State government have come up with a new program called Panchayat Yuva Kreeda and Khel Abiyan (pykka). Initially grama panchayats with population more than 4,600 as per 2001 census are being selected for taking up the program.

As per the program each village panchayat get Rs 1 lakh while each mandal gets Rs 5 lakh for developing infrastructure on government schools in the rural areas. The West Godavari sports authorities have selected as many as 89 gram panchayats located in five mandals including Undi, Polavaram, Achanata and Tanuku to take up the program. The government has already sanctioned 50 percent of the amount for implementation of the program.

The program also provides purchase of sports equipment worth Rs 10,000 for gram panchayat and Rs 20,000 for a mandal every year for a period of five years. To overcome the shortage of skilled sports persons, the sports authorities will select skilled persons with academic qualification upto 10 plus 2. Their job is to train the students in government schools. A series of competitions of sports and games will be organized at regular intervals.