Host city contract for Games to undergo scrutiny

SHILLONG: The host city contract received by the Meghalaya government to organise the National Games 2022 will undergo scrutiny before the Cabinet takes it up.
Informing this on Monday, John Kharshiing, the working president of the Meghalaya State Olympic Association said the contract would now be scrutinised by the finance, law and other departments before it is finally taken up by the Cabinet.
The host city agreement was received on August 9 and the working group committee has had discussions on it on two occasions.
Later, a signing date will be arranged where the three stakeholders comprising the state government, Meghalaya State Olympic Association and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will sign the agreement after its finalisation by the Indian Olympic Association.
Under the agreement, there will be milestones and each work will have to be finished within a fixed timeline. The Games organising committee will have to be constituted within three months of signing of the agreement.
Asked if the state could prepare the infrastructure for hosting the games within five years, Kharshiing said Meghalaya had successfully hosted the South Asian Games within two months and could therefore do the same in regard to the National Games.
Meghalaya will require over Rs 2000 crore to host the event even as the Central government has assured to chip in with some financial assistance.
According to Kharshiing, the state is looking at the Kerala model to organise the Games so that the infrastructure is of high quality and can be used for hosting international events in the future.
The IOA, on March this year, formally announced that Meghalaya would host the National Games 2022, after the state had made a bid to host the mega event.
So far, only two states from North East — Manipur and Assam — have hosted the National Games in 1999 and 2007, respectively.