New Delhi: Coal India Limited (CIL), under the Ministry of Coal has signed an MoU with Department of Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, here today for betterment of sports infrastructure in the country. Under the MoU, CIL, under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program will contribute Rs. 75 crores towards the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF). CIL’s contribution will be used for construction of three large hostels meant for sports persons. The initiative is seen as a significant step towards reaping the sports atmosphere created through recent success in Olympics & Paralympics where India finished with the best ever medal tally.

The MoU signing ceremony was held in the presence of Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister  of  Information & Broadcasting , Youth Affairs & Sports and Shri Nisith Pramanik, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Youth Affairs and Sports. Dr. Anil Kumar Jain, Secretary (Coal),Shri Ravi Mittal, Secretary (Sports), Shri Pramod Agrawal, Chairman, CIL and other senior functionaries of  the Ministries and CIL attended the function.

These hostels will be constructed at Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE), Gwalior and Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) centres at Bhopal & Bengaluru with a combined capacity of 350 sports persons. These hostels will benefit talented athletes directly by creating a conducive eco-system through focused training under national level coaches. The project will be completed by 2023 for which CIL has already released Rs. 25 crores. This particular support from CIL also meets the purpose spelt out under “Khelo India” Scheme of Govt of India.

CIL spends over Rs. 500 crores annually on CSR initiatives. CIL and its subsidiaries have undertaken some high-impact projects under the thematic area of promotion of sports in its operational areas. Notable among them are- Support to Sport Academy at Ranchi byproviding residential training to tribal youth of Jharkhand at the cost of Rs. 10 crores per year, a Multi-Purpose Sports Complex at Sambalpur, Odisha at the cost of Rs. 25 crores and a 10,000-capacity stadium at Jharsuguda, Odisha at the cost of Rs. 23 crores.