Andhra Pradesh to Introduce 3% Sports Quota: Nara Lokesh
State Education, IT and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh on Friday said the Andhra Pradesh government will introduce a three per cent sports quota to encourage young talent and promote sports.
He made the announcement at an interactive programme with Indian women cricketers titled “Breaking Boundaries with Nara Lokesh.”
Lokesh said the government is preparing a ten-year plan for the overall growth of sports in the State. He recalled the efforts of former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, such as hosting the Afro-Asian Games and developing an international-standard sports village.
The Minister pointed out that Andhra Pradesh has nearly 43,000 schools but lacks enough physical education teachers. “It is not possible to transform the sports sector overnight under these circumstances,” he said.
Referring to the YogaAndhra movement held in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call, Mr. Lokesh said the government will take special steps at the grassroots level to promote fitness and sports. He also urged parents to support girls in pursuing sports.
Lokesh praised women cricketers for their achievements despite challenges such as poor facilities, limited media coverage and lack of encouragement in the past. He noted their major successes, including the 2022 Asian Games gold medal, the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 Cup (2025) and seven Asia Cup titles. “Your performances in World Cups have inspired fans across the country,” he said.
Welcoming the BCCI’s move to provide equal match fees for women and men, Mr. Lokesh called it a landmark step towards gender equality. “But this is only the beginning. Girls’ dreams in sports will come true only if facilities are strengthened at the grassroots level,” he added.
The Minister said the government is supporting athletes through scholarships, annual coaching camps, hostel facilities, travel allowances, and special competitions for para-athletes.
During the programme, players suggested making sports a subject in schools, providing scholarships and sports kits for underprivileged athletes, preparing flexible study options for players, and holding camps to identify rural talent.
International cricketer Mithali Raj, India women’s team captain Arun Preet Singh, RCB captain Shruti, batter Gemin, Deepti Sharma, former India cricketer MSK Prasad, Andhra Cricket Association president Keshineni Chinni, secretary Sana Satish, Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat and several others took part in the event.