"We know the high standards there... we cannot reach there. Frankly speaking, we can only make our presence felt by going to the Olympics," Gill said on the sidelines of the Conference of the State Ministers of Youth Affairs and Sports.

"But we should be happy if we get something in athletics. Shooters are doing well but I will be very happy to see our girls running in the final of 4x400 meter relay team. It would be a big thing for me," he said.

Gill, however, did not give much attention to selection controversy in the Indian Weightlifting Federation, but promised that he would not let injustice being done to anyone.

"It is not my business to go into each and every sports federation and control it. But I will make sure that injustice is not done to any sportsperson. All these matters are coming up because selections are on," he said.

The Sports Minister has ordered an inquiry into the IWF's bribery for selection matter and would be hearing it on Thursday.

On committees for the annual Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna and Dronacharya awards, the Minister said everything will happen in time and unlike every year no one would be left cribbing.

"I don't have any specific detail as of now. But I promise that everything will be done in time, there would be no delay in the proceedings," he said.

"Every year I read in papers that some sportpersons are not happy with the selection and complains of injustice. We will have good committees and I will make sure our the selection committees do justice," Gill said.

The Minister also felt sports was given step motherly treatment in the country.

"It is such a big country, there are so many sportspersons. It should have 2-3 times the budget it is allotted now. There should be 3000-4000 coaches. Our delegates from Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have also said so.

"Tamil Nadu is such a big state and it need more coaches, West Bengal is a hub of football but does not have a coach in that very sport".

Gill believed that sports like football, basketball and volleyball should be given more importance as they are in reach of masses.

"A small segment apart, India is a country of poor people and will remain so for sometime. Even if cricket is the most popular game it cannot be afforded by the people. A kit for Sachin Tendulkar alone will cost a fortune. So we need sports which are inexpensive, played on any surface and any weather.

"That is why, I feel football, which is the sport of the world, basketball, a lovely game, and volleyball to be kept in priority list as they don't need much infrastructure to get into. Besides, athletics beat every other game. The Africans have dominated even America by simply running, who can stop one from running," he said.

"The way to youth's heart is through games," he added. Gill also took a dig at his predecessor Mani Shankar Aiyar for dropping hockey and football from the priority list.

"I have some understanding of sports and I have played sports at some level... When I came hockey and football were in some 'other sports' category, it was wrong and I immediately corrected the mistake.

"These are the major sports of India and they will remain major sports. Just because they are in lean phase and other athletes in other games earning one gold medal somewhere in the world, those sports don't become major sports," he said.

He also emphasised on the importance of sports in education.

"Now a days competition is so stiff that students have to fight for every fraction of point, so how will they play? It was not so earlier," he said.

Gill, who has just returned from his tour of London to witness their 2012 Olympic Preparations, said he liked some ideas of the London Olympic Organising Committee and may copy them for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.