“Rural stadiums, youth participation and sports promotion are shaping the future of youth”: GC Yadav

125 rural stadiums constructed in UP, 39 under construction

Youth and Women Mangal Dals being formed to connect youth with nation-building activities

19 lakh youth registered on ‘My Bharat’ portal, 12 lakh informed about government schemes through ‘Yuva Saathi’ portal

Lucknow: March 2026 : Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Welfare and Sports, Girish Chandra Yadav, shared detailed information in a press conference on Monday regarding efforts being made for the physical, educational and economic development of youth in the state.

He stated that under the vision of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, state government is taking several important initiatives to expand sports infrastructure, increase youth participation and guide them in a positive direction. This will not only ensure overall youth development but also enhance UP’s achievements in the field of sports.

Minister elaborated on the ambitious plan of Yogi government to build mini/rural stadiums in every development block. He said that 125 rural stadiums have already been constructed and in 8 development blocks, two stadiums each have been built to provide better sports facilities to local youth. Currently, work is in progress on 39 rural stadium projects.

From the financial year 2023-24, funds are being provided annually based on local requirements for the purchase of sports equipment to ensure smooth operation of these stadiums. Additionally, sports trainers are being deployed through outsourcing to provide proper training to youth.

To connect youth with social and national activities, government has formed Youth and Women Mangal Dals on a large scale. Out of 57,695 gram panchayats, there are 53,760 Youth Mangal Dals and 52,354 Women Mangal Dals have already been constituted. These groups are being actively linked with sports activities and brought into the mainstream of nation-building. So far, 96,000 Mangal Dals have been provided with sports kits and the process is ongoing to supply the remaining groups.

To ensure maximum youth participation in sports-
*MLA sports competitions were organized in all assembly constituencies.
*MP sports competitions were held in parliamentary constituencies.

More than 3 lakh youth participated in these events-
In 29th National Youth Festival (Delhi), a team of 79 youth from Uttar Pradesh participated.
In 28th National Youth Festival, the state won gold medals in story writing, poetry writing and painting.
In 29th edition, folk dance team secured third place.

Minister stated that, “Over 19 lakh youth have registered on ‘My Bharat’ portal, participating in activities like cleanliness drives, plantation, de-addiction campaigns and blood donation. More than 12 lakh youth have received information about various government schemes through ‘Yuva Saathi’ portal. To encourage excellence, government presents ‘State-Level Vivekananda Youth Award’ every year to outstanding youth and Mangal Dals.

At the conclusion of press conference, minister reiterated that under the vision of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, state government is fully committed to holistic development of youth and is making all possible efforts in this direction.