Mehrajuddin Wadoo, the former India international and a Pro-licensed coach from Kashmir has made a request through media and social media to the Lieutenant Governor of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir Sh. Manoj Sinha to take initiative for the revival of departmental football teams in the government sector in Kashmir.

Presently, Mehrajuddin is the coach of the Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council academy and this academy has been selected by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) as Kashmir's only centre of its Blue Cubs Developmental project which is likely to be spread across the country. 

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the project which now will start with 20 under-12 boys.

It is believed that these boys can get the opportunity to take part in the AIFF's introductory under-13 league this year.

The former Mohammedan Sporting coach feels more potential footballers from Kashmir will come up and will be able to don Indian shirts in the future from this project. 

But at the same time when asked about the job opportunities in the Union Territory, Mehrajuddin, raising doubts revealed, “This has been a major problem in Kashmir. Departmental teams in different government sectors like Jammu & Kashmir Bank, and Jammu & Kashmir Police used to take part in different tournaments, and footballers, representing even the state in the national championships could obtain jobs there.”

He continued, "But the offices had stopped all those departmental teams. I have requested the LG through media and social media to revive those departmental football teams so that employment on the players' quota is revived again." 

Isfaq also, agreeing with the notion said, “The revival of those teams is necessary as several footballers from Kashmir are coming up. This will be a ray of hope for the parents of these young kids who are showing interest in the game. If they find out job opportunities are again being revived then more parents will send their sons to football.”