AIFF restructures Vision India program, to focus on cities now

While the programme in Manipur is going strong with even the AFC praising the success in the northeastern state,the project in Delhi was scrapped last year after six years of inaction by the state association. Two more projects in Goa and West Bengal have become inactive as they failed to meet the AFC criteria for the programme.

AIFF general secretary Kushal Das has said that Vision India now need a revival by change in focus from state-centric to district or city-centric,a strategy which has seen success in China.

“Vision India programme could not start in the states except for Manipur,as they failed to change their constitution which was a must for the AFC to give a go-ahead,” Das said.

“We have decided for a change in strategy to revive Vision India. Now,instead of state-focused programme,we are looking at a programme which focuses on a district or a city. That way we can have smaller units to implement the Programme,” said Das.

“We have submitted a plan to the AFC with the shift in strategy. We want changes in the programme though I can’t tell what are they now as it will all depend on AFC to agree to our proposal or not,” he said.

The proposal,prepared by the AIFF,would emphasise on area-specific strategy rather than a uniform format for India as the country has diverse cultures and hence different requirements for grassroot development. The AIFF felt that way it would give sustainability to the programme.

Hammam to chair ad-hoc committee

The Ad-hoc Committee for professionalising Indian Football will take stock of the progress made in the country in a meeting under the chairmanship of AFC chief Mohammed bin Hammam.

Hammam,on a two-day visit to India,will chair the meeting. All India Football Federation chief Praful Patel,who is deputy chairman of the committee,will also be present. Along with AFC Vice-President and FIFA Executive Committee member Manilal Fernando,prominent Indian club owners and officials are members of the committee,whose aim is to professionalise football in the country.