Education Minister Taba Tedir of Arunachal Pradesh informed that the state will soon launch a programme called 'Football for school' to promote Football in 200 schools of the state.

According to Minister Tedir, the "Football for School" programme, a groundbreaking initiative, would seek to groom young talents between the ages of 6 and 13.

He further informed that, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been inked between FIFA and the Union Education Ministry to promote football among children.

"Every state has been asked to prepare a plan for the initiative. We held a meeting on Monday on the issue. Officers of the Education and Sports departments, and members of the Arunachal Pradesh Football Association (APFA) were present in the meeting," he said.

The Union Education Ministry and FIFA would provide support for the programme, the Education Minister added.

"Schools having playground and physical education teachers will be selected for the initiative. We will also see that schools having more than 50 to 100 children in the prescribed age group are given preference," the minister said.

He further said that the Arunachal Pradesh Football Association is working on the programme, with an aim to start it in the upcoming month of December and that the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan would come to launch it, Tedir said.

All India Football Federation (AIFF) Treasurer Kipa Ajay said Arunachal Pradesh will be the first state in the country to have such a programme.

He further said that he hopes that the initiative would help popularise football in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.

(PTI)