SRINAGAR; 17, May 2013: In its bid to curb the stone throwing incidents in Valley, the state government has requested Indian goverment for a special package to boost sports activities, a senior Indian minister said Friday.

“When the youth in Kashmir have no playgrounds to play they go for stone pelting. So to keep them away from the stone pelting I asked Indian Prime Minister to provide special package in sports for J&K,” Minister for Youth Services and Sports, Taj Mohiddin told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

“To stop this thing (stone pelting) the government has made a comprehensive plan. And I request DDC Srinagar will identify land for us in every part of city so that we can made indoor stadiums, and if land is available in open we can also make open fields for youth,” he said.

Taj said that he met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and told him that the state is lacking in sports infrastructure. “I was not sure he (Singh) will take it so seriously. PM contacted Sports Ministry and announced a special package for J&K,” Taj said.

“PM has promised Rs 700 crore over a period of five years to give boost to sports in J&K and also assured that if the package goes up to 1400 crore they will provide that money,” he added.

In the year 2010, more than 120 youths were martyred after stone-pelting became the weapon of the stone-warriors of Kashmir.