Dilip Tirkey bats for unemployed sportspersons

BJD MP and Dilip Tirkey and former captain of Indian hockey team today raised the issue of Sports Quota recruitments in Government Departments and PSUs during the proceedings of Rajya Sabha.

Speaking for rural and tribal players in the Upper House, Tirkey said: ``Players from rural and urban areas do not participate in the sports only for the entertainment or fun sake. In fact they play sports to make their careers and earn livelihood.’’

Giving lamented that a number of rural and tribal players with experience of representing the country at the international levels are now in woeful state due to unemployment. He cited examples of how a national woman shooer running a Dhaba, international women athlete selling gol-gappas, international karateka selling tea and woman footballer running pan-shop.

Tirkey said this is happening because Government Departments and PSUs are not filling jobs under sports quota. ``All the Government Departments and PSUs have a provision of five percent recruitment under sports quota. In Odisha SAIL, NTPC, MCL, NALCO, Paradip Port Trust, HAL etc are also not doing the sports quota recruitment as per norms.’’

``Because of lack of job opportunities, our tribal people are forced to migrate to other states. It is very sad that our national players are not able to secure even a job for themselves even after 20 years of national and international careers,’’ he said. Tirkey also urged the government to issue guidelines for five percent ports quota recruitment in private sector as well.

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