Minister for Food Processing and Industries, T.G. Bharat Gupta, on Monday reiterated that the State government was giving top priority to transform Kurnool stadium into a world-class sporting facility with advanced infrastructure and training amenities.

The Minister visited the summer coaching camp here, along with Kurnool MP Bastipati Nagaraju, and Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) Chairman Ravi Naidu.

Interacting with athletes, the Minister appreciated their talent and commitment, saying that the government would always encourage sportspersons from the grassroots to the international level. He highlighted that youth should actively participate in sports and daily practice to maintain physical fitness and mental strength.

Clarifying that there was no proposal to shift the Kurnool sports hostel, Mr. Bharat Gupta assured that the facility would instead be strengthened with improved infrastructure and better amenities for trainees. He said Kurnool had a strong sporting culture and athletes from the district possessed the potential to excel at State and national levels. He observed that parks across Kurnool city were being upgraded to encourage healthy lifestyles and regular exercise among the public.

Meanwhile, MP Bastipati Nagaraju said the NDA government stood by its promise of improving sports infrastructure in Kurnool. On the occasion, the MP announced an allocation of ₹15 lakh from MPLADS funds for stadium maintenance and development works.

SAAP Chairman Ravi Naidu, on the other hand, said 50 summer sports camps were being organised across the district. He appealed to the youth to utilise the opportunity to excel in national and international competitions.

Officials from the Education, Social Welfare, and Revenue departments, coaches, and representatives of various sports associations were also present.