New Delhi, Sept 17 A two-member team of the National Playing Fields Association (NPFA), UK called on Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. M S Gill here today.

During the discussion, Alison extended an invitation to the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports to visit the NPFA, UK, during the former's visit to UK later this month for handing over of Queen's baton for the Commonwealth Games.

Dr Gill accepted the invitation. The Duke of Edinburgh is the President of the NPFA, UK.

The team, consisting of the NPFA director Alison Moore Gwyn and Fields manager John James Sharrock, is visiting India in the context of an MoU signed between the National Playfields Association of India (NPFAI) and the Fields in Trust, UK.

With the aim of entering into a partnership and exchanging the experience and expertise for mutual benefits, the NPFA UK and the NPFAI signed an MoU last month.

As a next step in this direction, the two member team is visiting India to undertake the study of various available open spaces which are either lying unused or are being used only partially.

During their four-day tour, the team will visit various play spaces areas across the city and identify a few of them to take up as the pilot projects for developing into potential model playfields.

The team will also interact with local bodies like the DDA, the MCD and the NDMC to take the project further.

A National conference is also proposed to be held in collaboration with the FIT UK, in the month of January 2010 to sensitize the State Governments to establish similar societies at the state level and undertake similar projects.

The concept was introduced to the State Governments, during the National Conference of State Sports Ministers held earlier last month. The response of the State Governments was very enthusiastic. (ANI)