Coal India Limited (CIL) on Tuesday, September 7, contributed ₹75 crore to the National Sports Development Fund to power Indian athletes and enable them to get access to world-class facilities while undergoing training.
As per reports, the contribution from CIL is a part of their CSR activity and will be utilised toward the construction of three large hostels for athletes. The initiative is seen as a significant move toward maintaining the positive momentum created by the country's recent success at the Olympics and Paralympics, where it bagged the maximum number of medals.
Initiation To Support Indian Athletes
With a combined capacity of 350 athletes, these hostels will be built at the Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE) in Gwalior and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centres in Bhopal and Bengaluru.
These hostels will directly benefit talented athletes by fostering a positive environment through focused training with national-level coaches. CIL has already released ₹25 crores for the project, which will be completed in 2023, as reported by Orissadiary.
The state-owned coal mining company's assistance also satisfies the objectives outlined in the government of India's "Khelo India" scheme.
Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said that organisation's generous contribution to the NSDF comes at a good time, given our athletes' outstanding performance at the recent Games.
Appreciating Coal India's endeavour, the minister stated that a portion of the funds generated from coal mining would be used to chisel our athletes into "diamonds" capable of delivering a podium finish.
He further urged all public sector entities, corporations, and individuals to contribute generously to the NSDF as part of their corporate social responsibility and become partners in India's quest to become a sporting powerhouse.
Coal India's Secretary Coal, Anil Jain, stated that contributing to the country's sports development is a pride for the company. While it is their responsibility to support talented athletes, he believes it also benefits Coal India's brand image.