A Lok Sabha member from Bihar's principal opposition the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) made a strong pitch on Monday to organise the Olympics in the state. According to RJD's Abhay Kumar Sinha, Bihar is getting new sporting facilities including a new stadium in Rajgir. The Magadh University in Bodh Gaya has a big campus and a large sports ground, he added.
Sinha was participating in a short-duration discussion on India's preparedness for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
"If the central government selects this place as the host for the Olympics, it would be a significant move for a backward state," the Aurangabad MP said, recalling that surveys are being carried out in Ahmedabad as a possible host city for the Olympics.
The Centre's Khelo India budget should reach rural areas so that those living in far-flung regions also get an opportunity, news agency PTI quoted him as saying.
"There is a need to invest in sporting and training facilities. We also need experienced coaches to prepare our athletes for international competitions," Sinha said.
Samajwadi Party member from Aonla, Neeraj Maurya, rued the lack of sporting facilities in rural areas and hoped that the government would make efforts to build such infrastructure for athletes.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) member Kirti Azad said the sporting facilities in the country for budding athletes are not up to the mark and they often have to travel in poor conditions on trains and live in crumbling hostels.
He said the government cheers athletes, such as Neeraj Chopra, Abhinav Bindra or Karnam Malleshwari, when they win laurels for the country, but does not support them in their formative years.
DMK member D M Kathir Anand said a lot of importance is given to cricket and other sporting disciplines are mentioned only at the time of international events, such as the Olympics.
He said there should be more transparency in the selection of athletes and members for the governing bodies of various sports.