Ashis Sinha I Bokaro: Bokaro Steel City has been honored with ‘Global Active City’ (GAC) standard. Now Bokaro has become the first city in India and second in Asia to get this place.
Apart from Bokaro (in India) and Karasiyaka (Turkey), the other cities of the world — Buenos Aires (Argentina), Hamburg (Germany), Lillehammer (Norway), Liverpool (UK), Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Richmond (in British Columbia, Canada) are also in this list.
The official information about the inclusion of Bokaro Steel City in the list of GAC Network has been given through a letter issued to Bokaro Deputy Commissioner Mukesh Kumar on behalf of Evalio President Gabriel Mesmer and Global Active City Program Director Michael Gross.
Under the ‘nucleus mission’ protected and supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Bokaro Steel City is now connected to the Global Active City (GAC) network, informed Mukesh Kumar Deputy Commissioner Bokaro.
This nucleus project (through the IOC) is an attempt to give a new direction to the society by connecting Bokaro city under the Olympics in action so that residents of Bokaro district can be prepared in different areas through a healthy and functional environment.
The label, given by The Active Well-being Initiative, recognises the effort cities make to offer residents the opportunities to improve their physical well-being.
The GAC programme was founded by Evaleo, a sustainable health association, and The Association For International Sport for All (TAFISA) with the support of the IOC.
The GAC label, which is supported by IOC, is awarded to cities having implemented a Physical Activity and Sport for All management system, improving governance and efficiency. It promotes cities that have succeeded in increasing participation in physical activity and sport, helping to tackle the growing levels of inactivity and non-communicable diseases, informed an official.
It is also important to stress the potential benefits of physical activity and sport beyond the fight against non-communicable diseases. Promoting mental health for all, social inclusion or more sustainable transportation solutions across the city and its surroundings is important, said the official. “The high-profile recognition provided by the GAC label will enhance your city’s reputation locally, regionally, nationally and internationally,” he added.
Behind this glorious achievement, Jaideep Sarkar, the executive committee member of the IPCA and the International Volleyball Instructor cum sports expert of Bokaro played a lead role, informed an official.
For the successful implementation of this global program, a special meeting cum launching program was convened under the chairmanship of Bokaro DC Mukesh Kumar on Friday. In meeting city-specific sports-related organizations, BSL officials, Principals of all private educational institutions, Assistant Commandants of CISF and District level officials have participated.
“It was decided to start the event by organising half marathon races on 19 January,” informed DPRO.
Besides others, Deputy Development Commissioner Ravi Ranjan Mishra, Additional Collector Vijay Kumar Gupta, Additional Municipal Commissioner Shashi Prakash Jha, Civil Surgeon Dr. Ashok Kumar Pathak, District Education Officer Neelam Ileen Toppo, District Planning Officer PVN Singh, District Disaster Management Officer Shakti Kumar were present in the meeting.