Team Goemkarponn
CANACONA: Youth Congress leader Vaishnav Pednekar has criticised the condition of sports infrastructure in Canacona and across Goa, accusing Canacona MLA and Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar of failing to improve basic facilities despite heading the Sports Department.
Speaking to the media at the Karvem-Gaondongrim ground, Pednekar highlighted the poor condition of several playgrounds, including the Karvem ground in Gaondongrim, Dapot-Maxem ground in Loliem-Polem, SAG Ground in Agonda, Potkem ground in Poinguinim and Devabhaga ground in Canacona.
Pednekar said the neglected playgrounds and inadequate infrastructure were adversely affecting young athletes and sports enthusiasts. He questioned how sports facilities had remained in poor condition despite the minister holding the sports portfolio.
He said sports are no longer just a hobby, with many youngsters now pursuing them as a career, and stressed the need to provide quality infrastructure to help nurture sporting talent.
Claiming that the government has allocated crores of rupees for sports infrastructure, Pednekar alleged that the funds should be utilised effectively to develop better facilities and support sportspersons. He also claimed that the government had spent nearly ₹800 crore on event management over the past five years, adding that investing even half that amount in sports infrastructure and athlete development would have enabled more youth from Canacona and Goa to excel at higher levels of competition.
