SHILLONG: Land acquisition is the biggest challenge that the State Government has to face before it can start preparing for the National Games 2022.
Anticipating the hurdles on the way to a glitch-free Games, the government has decided to create a land bank of its own.
Speaking to media persons after a meeting with the working group that is overseeing the preparation of the mega event, minister in charge of Sports and Youth Affairs Zenith Sangma said land is a big hurdle but the Government has started identifying land for building infrastructure for the event.
Soil testing will be done before preparing detailed project reports for the infrastructure.
The two major venues for the event will be in and around Shillong and Tura. A few disciplines will be held in the western part of Meghalaya, said the minister and added that the government will have to identify more land.
Meghalaya will host the National Games 2022 that coincides with the 50th year of the creation of the State.
According to Sangma, there will be a series of committees and sub-committees at different levels to ensure that the preparation for the event is smooth.
Meghalaya received the final go-ahead for hosting the Games on March 20. The tripartite agreement involving the Indian Olympic Association, the Meghalaya State Olympic Association and the State Government will be signed shortly. There is a proposal to host 38 disciplines when the State hosts the event in 2022 and Rs 1,300-1,500 crore would be required to host the event with 60-70 per cent assistance from the Centre.
The State Government is looking at the Kerala model of holding the event and the government will create infrastructure in a way so that they could be used even for holding international sporting events after the National Games. Kerala had hosted the event in 2015.
