Jharkhand govt to felicitate hockey players: Mahto

Jamshedpur, Apr 1 (UNI) Jharkhand Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Sudesh Kumar Mahto today denied allegations of discrimination towards sports other than cricket.

Reacting to the cold reception meted out to the three members of the silver winning women's national hockey team of just concluded Melbourne Commonwealth Games at the Birsa Munda airport at Ranchi yesterday, Mr Mahto said the officials of the Jharkhand State Women's Hockey Association (JSWHA) were present to welcome the players.

But the government would soon accord a grand feliciation to all the six players from Jharkhand, who represented the national team and brought laurels for the country, the minister said.

''We are not discriminating sports other than cricket. In fact, in Jharkhand hockey and football are more popular than cricket and the government is also encouraging the indigenous sports like archery. We are also providing jobs and other incentives to the sportspersons, who represent the sports like archery, hockey, football and other games,'' Mr Mahto, who is also state Home Minister, asserted.

Talking to the mediapersons in the sidelines of a friendly cricket match between the State Home minister Eleven versus the State Veterans President Eleven here, Mr Mahto said the preparations of the 2007 National Games was in full swing and the stadium and other infrastrcutural facilites would be ready as per schedule.

He said a cricket stadium at Morabadi in Ranchi was being constructed.

To a question of his intention to contest for the post of the president of Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA), Mr Mahto ruled out, saying ''I have no interests to head the cricketing body.

Being a sports lover I accepted the invitation of some senior cricketers to play the freindly match. One should not read too much between the lines.'' UNI BDG TJP DH BD1850