Inquiry Ordered Into Santosh Trophy Selection Row, Says J&K Sports Minister Satish Sharma

Convener News Desk

Bandipora, Dec 17: Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Transport, Youth Services and Sports, Information Technology, ARI and Trainings, Satish Sharma, on Wednesday said that the government has ordered an inquiry into concerns surrounding the selection process for the Santosh Trophy football team.

Speaking to reporters during his visit to Bandipora, Sharma said the Director General of Sports has been directed to submit a detailed report within seven days after consulting all stakeholders, including players from across Jammu and Kashmir. He asserted that merit has not been overlooked in the selection process and assured that the grievances of players who could not make it to the team would be addressed.

He also cautioned against giving the issue a political colour.

The Minister said the government is committed to strengthening the sports ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir, with a focus on upgrading stadiums and playgrounds to encourage greater youth participation. He said winter sports and tourism would also be promoted, including initiatives such as snow cricket in Gurez, and added that he plans to visit Gurez to review sports and tourism-related facilities.

Touching upon administrative issues, Sharma said a scheduled review meeting in Bandipora had to be postponed due to the absence of local MLAs and would be convened soon with elected representatives. He said the government remains focused on addressing public issues through coordinated efforts across departments.

On essential supplies, the Minister said winter stocking of food grains had been completed and sufficient stocks had been dumped across Kashmir. He added that issues related to the functioning of fair price shops would be resolved at the earliest.

Sharma also said the government plans to illuminate shrines, temples and other religious places with solar lights as part of its push towards renewable energy. He said efforts were underway to expand solar power generation, promote science, technology and information technology, and generate employment opportunities through Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) initiatives.

The Minister said the government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is committed to responsive governance and will continue working to address the concerns of people across Jammu and Kashmir.