New Delhi, July 9 : The Centre has convened a conference of State Ministers of Youth Affairs and Sports here today to review schemes in the area of youth affairs and sports and to assess infrastructure requirement at grassroot level.

The Centre has plans to provide basic sports infrastructure at Panchayat level through mission mode, over a period of ten years as a centrally sponsored programme.

The conference will be chaired by Dr. M.S. Gill, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs.

With a view to create modern sports infrastructure throughout the country, the conference will also discuss creation of outdoor and indoor stadia, water sports infrastructure, winter-sports infrastructure, shooting range and installation of synthetic tracks.

Schemes of Sports Authority of India (SAI) to provide scientific training to groom the sports persons in the age group of 14-21 years and to scout and nurture the natural talent for modern competitive sports and games from inaccessible tribal, rural and coastal areas of the country will also be reviewed.

States will also be asked to suggest plans for better coordination with SAI's centres in their respective States to ensure better results.

Suggestions and feedback on the draft scheme will also be sought during the conference. Discussion on the draft scheme of sports for disabled and Draft National Physical Fitness Programme are also in the agenda of the conference.

The Centre has requested the States to expedite construction of ongoing youth hostels to provide low cost budget accommodation to travelling students groups and youth groups and to identify new sites for setting up more hostels, the projects will be reviewed in the meeting.

Enhancing volunteers' strength of National Services Scheme and working of Nehru Yuva Kendras will also be taken in the meeting, besides identification of special Projects and Programmes for Youth and Adolescent Development.

ANI