NPP legislator raises questions over proper utlilizations of funds
SHILLONG: NPP legislator James Sangma on Tuesday slammed the Sports and Youth Affairs department over the alleged sorry state of affairs in it.
Moving a cut motion to discuss the style and functioning of the Sports and Youth Affairs department, Sangma said there is a serious need for introspection in the department.
Stating that a huge amount of money was being given to the department he questioned if the amount was being channelized in the right direction.
Citing mismanagement, he stated that the tennis court at Polo was now being used as ring for boxing championships.
He also said that the department should focus on training and identifying youths while alleging that many of the sports infrastructures in the state remained unutilized.
He also alleged that the Sports department is focusing on helping contractors for creating big infrastructures, adding that though football has seen a new paradigm in the state the credit for the same goes to private clubs and not to the Sports department.
He also called for a re-look into the proposed sports policy.
Participating in the cut motion, Nongthymmai MLA Jemino Mawthoh alleged that the Government is not paying much attention to youth activities.
He also felt that the Government is not giving incentives to sportspersons who bring laurels to the state.
Many of the clubs from his constituency were not getting the annual funds from the department, he alleged.
In his reply, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Zenith Sangma said that the State Government had posted three football stadiums for Shillong, Tura and Ampati to the North Eastern Council but the Shillong project was dropped by the NEC.
He further said that the department provides various kinds of assistance to registered clubs and grants are being given to entities to their ground and other infrastructures, adding that the district level officers of the department also conduct inter-school and other competitions in their respective areas.
Stating that there are 32 associations which are dependent on Government for grants, he said that the highest priority of the Government is to build sports infrastructure in the state.
After replying, Daddengre MLA james Sangma termed the statement of Zenith Sangma as pathetic and refused to withdraw the cut motion but the motion was defeated by voice vote in the House.