CM Udhav Thackeray launches ‘Go Girl Go’ scheme

Mumbai, Feb 22, 2020: Urging the youth to make hard efforts to preserve best traditions in sports field in Maharashtra State and bring glory to the state, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray today said that the government was encouraging sports and continue to do so in future. He urged the youth to work hard to win maximum awards in sports.

Chief Minister Thackeray also launched the ‘Go Girl Go’ scheme on this occasion. He also honoured Pandharinath Pathare with Shiv Chhatrapati Life Time Award.

Shri Thackerya was speaking at the Shiv Chhatrapati State Sports Awards distribution and felicitation ceremony of winners of ‘Khelo India Khelo’ competitions organized at Gateway of India. Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Sunil Kedar, Mumbai’s Guardian Minister Aslam Sheikh, Tourism and Protocol Minister Aditya Thackeray, MoS Sports and Youth Welfare Ku Aditi Tatkare, MP Sanjay Raut, MLA Rahul Narvekar, Cine Director Ramesh Sippi, Commissioner Sports Omprakash Bakeria were prominently present on the occasion.

Chief Minister Thackerya said that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj never tested defeat. His principle that led to his victories was to preserve people over finance. Youth should take to ground sports to keep their health in best condition. We must do whatever we can for the betterment of the state keeping our health in best condition, he said.

Awards are not given they need to be earned with hard work. The players of the state performed well to take the state at the top level in the Khelo India Khelo competition and therefore to felicitate them was the duty of the state government. Such programs create a new energy among them. Presently the youth are more engaged on social media and they need to turn to ground sports to keep them physically and mentally fit and healthy and the government was active in this direction, he added.

ON this occasion Chief Minister launched the ‘Go Girl Go” scheme. 1.04 crore girls will be included in this scheme aimed at keeping them physically fit and prepare them to participate in international competitions. The organizers will be arranging 100 meter running race. This ‘Go Girl Go’ scheme would be beneficial to girls to make inroads in all the fields including sports, Chief Minister Thackeray said.

Sunil Kedar made the introductory remarks. He said sports rise above caste, gender difference and increase our competence. Youth should achieve distinctions in sports along with technology as that lead to concentration in studies. Youth have the capacity to realize the dream of progressing Maharashtra. We must ensure our physical, intellectual, and psychological progress to achieve the progress of the state and the country. Youth should increase their participation in more sports and the government was encouraging sports in the state. Each developed country in the world is making spectacular progress in sports and we should follow them, he said.

The program began with the performance of various cultural events. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and other dignitaries felicitated the Shiv Chhatrapati Awardees and winners of Khelo India Khelo competitions on this occasion. The proceedings were conducted by Abhijit Khandkekar.