“We knew that despite spending so much money we would not be able to get the appropriate result, as there is huge scarcity of coaches in the state. At present, there are 58 coaches appointed by SAG in the state. This is only 25 per cent of the required number of coaches,” said Ajay Desai, senior coach of Sports Authority of Gujarat (SAG), Anand district.

He said: “In the 10th Five-Year Plan, an Integrated Scheme of Youth Welfare was proposed and the aim was to organise seminars and leadership camps throughout the state to create awareness about burning issues such as population control, communal harmony and so on. But how can we create awareness without enough coaches and physical instructors?”

C I Chunara, also a senior coach in Kheda district, said: “We have to follow orders of higher authorities. But we don't find their plans efficient despite crores of rupees being spent on the schemes.”

He added: “There was a proposal to find talent in tribal areas of the state. Lakhs of rupees were proposed to be spent on the scheme. But SAG follows a very slow procedure and we do not know when we will be able to get good sportspersons in large number.”

A senior official of SAG, Gandhinagar, feels that the schemes introduced in the 10th Five-Year Plan were not up to the mark.

“If they continue to follow the same path, then God only knows if the state will be able to improve the level of sports activities,” he said.

“Around 70 per cent of the talent hunt camps organised every year fail because of some reason or the other. But, I believe, we will be able to work efficiently with a new director general for SAG,” said V S Solanki, senior coach of SAG, Surat.