Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to present footballs to all MPs at a function in Parliament Complex

New Delhi, March 28, 2017: Lok Sabha Speaker Smt. Sumitra Mahajan will be presenting footballs to all MPs of both Houses of Parliament at a function near the Gandhi statue at Parliament House on 29 March, 2017. Union Sports Minister Shri Vijay Goel stated that this year in October, India will host the FIFA U-17 Football World Cup and in order to promote the culture of football in the country the step has been taken. Shri Goel has urged all MPs to create awareness about games especially football in their respective constituencies that would help in taping talented individuals and take the game across India.

In a statement he said, the FIFA U-17 World Cup is being organised in partnership with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and in order to create football culture Mission 11 Million has been initiated that aims to take football to 11 million kids across India through 15000 schools and mass contact programmes.

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during his Mann Ki Baat on 26th March 2017 had mentioned about the FIFA U-17 World Cup and said that it would bring football to the forefront and encourage youngsters to take up sports.

Shri Goel also said, India had a successful BRICS U-17 Football Cup in 2016 and now the FIFA U-17 World Cup in October this year will ensure that the Country becomes the bright spot in world football. He said, his ministry will continue to promote the game across schools and other institutions and help create sports culture in the country.