KATHMANDU: The Nepalese sports witnessed a new tradition today after Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal attended the 71st board meeting of the National Sports Council (NSC).

It was the first time after the declaration of Republic Nepal that the board meeting was joined by the patron — Prime Minister — of the sports governing body. After the Jana Andolan-II, the NSC found its patron in the-then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, but he never joined the NSC meeting.

“I joined the board meeting in order to give a new beginning to the sports administration,” Nepal told the reporters after attending the meeting. PM Nepal is the first NSC patron to attend the board meeting after former prince Basundhara Shah and Dhirendra Shah along with former crown prince Dipendra Shah and Parash Shah.

Meanwhile, the meeting focused on Nepal’s participation in the 11th South Asian Games in Dhaka and the current NSC activities. PM Nepal revealed that the government has already initiated to implement the national sports policy along with securing the future of the gold medallists in SA Games, Asiad and Olympics by providing them with the lifetime allowances.

The PM expressed the government’s commitment of providing aid to the athletes for their treatment. He also gave importance in finding helping hands in the construction of sports academy in Hetauda saying the allocated budget of Rs 20 million is inadequate for the project. Nepal said he has directed the NSC to arrange special trainings for the players preparing for the regional meet.

Two nominated in NSC

KATHMANDU: Prakash Singh Bista of Dhangadi and Shyam Prasad Gupta of Parsa were nominated as the National Sports Council (NSC) board member on Sunday.

The members were appointed from the regional quota. Bista has been appointed from the Far-western region while Gupta belongs to the Central Development Region. The NSC has also established a new 10-member Sports Development Committee for the Eastern Region under the presidency of Dhananjaya Mishra of Sunsari. — HNS