Football awareness in schools: Mission 11 Million

The ministry after getting directions directly from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has already taken up one such ambitious project, Mission 11 Million. The programme designed in consultation with FIFA, will see the engagement of more than one crore school children in football-related activities in about 30 cities across the nation. As per the information with DNA, there will be an All-India Inter School Championship that will commence early next year. As much as close to one crore school kids from total states and Union Territories will be encouraged to be a part of the tournament and popularise football in the build-up to the 2017 World Cup.

The ministry knows that the programme will be in need of massive funding. The government is expected to contribute around Rs120 crore for the World Cup, out of which the Mission 11 Million programme budget would be funded. FIFA would be providing around $6 million for the tournament while another $7 million has to be coughed up by the AIFF with the help of the government, a major chunk of which will be spent on creation and renovation of the infrastructure of the stadium. A crore-plus school kids playing the football game will not only strengthen the grass-root level, but also help football find its lost footing in the country.

China has already been spending heavily in football, helping it become a global force. According to media reports, as per Chinese President Xi Jinping’s 10-year-plan, which runs until 2025, a total of 20,000 football schools will be coming up by 2017, while 30,000 more will be made by 2025 to produce 100,000 potential home grown football players.The ministry has already had discussions with FIFA, AIFF, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Central Board of Secondary Educations (CBSE), Subroto Mukherjee Sports Education Society, School Games Federation of India (SGFI) and U-17 World Cup Organising Committee to work out the formal launch of programme in October 2016.