VIJAYAWADA: The minister for transport, sports and youth affairs, Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy, made an ambitious statement on Monday saying that the state govt will promote Indian Premier League (IPL) team under the brand name of Amaravati.
He held a meeting with Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP), to discuss how to improve sports infrastructure in the state.
The statement by the sports minister appears to be a spontaneous one without doing any homework, according to experts in cricket affairs.
A former Ranji player who has the knowledge about how IPL and BCCI operate, said that “on one hand, the BCCI has already announced that it is not including any new teams, at least, for 2025 edition. On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh does not have basic infrastructure to hold an IPL match. So, promoting an IPL team under the brand name of Amaravati has remote possibility in near future,” he said.
The sports minister further said that the state govt is committed to promote sports in a big way. “Our aim is to transform the state into a sports hub within the next five years,” he said.
1 hour for sports in all schools: MinisterWe are preparing all necessary plans to bring light into the lives of athletes", said Ramprasad Reddy.
He stated that the previous govt completely neglected sports and conducted a failed programme called "Let's Play Andhra (Adudam Andhra)" at the end, involving a scam of ₹120 crore. He mentioned that they are collecting evidence on the corruption and irregularities that occurred during the previous govt's tenure.
Necessary facilities will be provided to athletes to foster their interest in sports and help them excel, said Ramprasad Reddy.
"As part of encouraging athletes, we will prioritize the construction of sports grounds and stadiums. We will set up sports development centers at all levels to encourage athletes", he said.
The minister also noted that fake certificates are causing harm to athletes and promised to investigate certificate fraud and ensure justice for genuine athletes. He stated that instructions would be given to allocate one hour for sports in the timetable for students in both govt and private educational institutions. Notices will be issued to private schools without sports grounds, and legal action will be taken if necessary, he said.
The minister emphasized that the goal is to integrate sports into students' lives for mental and physical well-being. He observed that the national budget prioritized sports and allocated funds. "With the cooperation of chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, we will take steps to secure more funds for sports development in the state," he said.
He mentioned that during the time of unified Andhra Pradesh, they promoted top athletes like Gopichand and supported the establishment of academies, which helped produce athletes who made the country proud. However, the previous YSRCP govt neglected sports by ignoring the land allocated for academies in Amaravati and Vizag.
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