Rajasthan State PCS

• 22 Jul 2022

Para Sports Academy in Jodhpur

Why In News?

On July 21, 2022, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved an amount of Rs 14.14 crore for setting up of para sports academy for para sportsmen in Jodhpur. The academy will provide modern facilities for high-tech training and practice to para-sports persons.

Key points

• As per the proposal, the Academy will be set up at Government College of Physical Education campus, Jodhpur and will be operated at Umaid Stadium, Jodhpur till necessary infrastructure is created in the college premises.
• In this academy, 25 talented players (15 shooting and 10 table tennis) from the state of Rajasthan will be selected. Education, medical, training, accommodation, food and other necessary facilities will be provided free of cost by the Rajasthan State Sports Council to the sportspersons.
• In addition, sports training will be provided by the coaches in the morning and evening as per the scheduled time. The players will also be provided education along with sports by getting admission in a nearby school for education.
• With this approval of the Chief Minister, the works related to recurring and non-recurring expenses of the Academy, setting up of performance training centre, procurement of sports equipment and construction of hostel building will be carried out.
• It may be mentioned that the Chief Minister had announced in the budget announcement 2022-23 to set up para sports academies at Jaipur and Jodhpur for para sportspersons. Earlier also, a number of ambitious sports projects have been sanctioned under the Budget Announcement 2020-21 and 2021-22.

Palace on Wheels

Why In News?

On July 21, 2022, Dharmendra Rathore, chairman of the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation, said that the 'Palace on Wheels' train, the identity of Rajasthan, will soon be seen running on the tracks and tourists will get an opportunity to visit it.

Key points

• Dharmendra Rathore said this while chairing the 188th meeting of the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation Governing Board.
• He said that 'Palace on Wheels' is very famous in the country and abroad. Efforts are being made by the corporation to start the train again. He reviewed the progress of providing Palace on Wheels on O&M model and provided necessary directions.
• He said that the state government has given industry status to tourism in the budget 2022-23. This will help in the establishment of tourism units in the state, as well as the already running tourism units will also get benefit. This will not only boost tourism, but will also provide employment opportunities including investment in the state.
• He said that efforts are also being made to develop heritage rail network between Marwar Junction to Kamli Ghat.
• This royal train operated by Indian Railways and Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDS) was stopped due to Corona epidemic. This royal train is equipped with all state-of-the-art facilities.
• This train, full of royal facilities, runs from September to April. departs from New Delhi on its eight-day journey. Total 3,000 km. In the journey, the train comes back to Delhi via Pink City Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bharatpur, Agra.
• It is worth noting that this luxury train 'Palace on Wheels', which is touring Rajasthan by the world's well-known tourism magazine 'Conde Nast', has been given the status of the world's second luxury travel train.