SHILLONG: With the state going all out in preparation for hosting the National Games in 2022, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has stressed on the importance of facilitating adequate training the state’s athletes to ensure that the state also bags some medals.
Replying to debate on Governor’s address on Friday, he said, “Since we are the host state, it is also important to win some medals. We are to ensure that we train our sportsmen/ athletes.” He added that the right support will be given to different disciplines.
According to him, the 2022 National Games will be one of the biggest events in the state and the event will have the capacity to take the state forward in every aspect.
Stating that a number a factors are involved in the National Games, he said a National Games Organizing Committee has been set up. Sangma said, “We are taking up the matter with all sincerity and ensuring that the Games are a complete success.”
Sangma said that apart from the requirements for hosting National Games which includes stadiums, Games Village, he said that the state also requires airports, roads, water, power supply, hotels etc.
He said, “Looking at the current infrastructure that we have, it is definitely not enough for us to host the games.”
However, according to Sangma, there were series of meetings where he met the Union Cabinet Ministers and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stress on the importance of National Games.
“We will work overtime to make the Games a complete success,” he said.
Sangma observed it was not only about Sports but the hosting of National Games also boosts the state as a tourist destination.
In this connection, he brought the notion of de-congestion of Shillong so as to prevent causing problems to the different programmes held during the Games.
He said, “It is important to have the roads that come in and out of Shillong in multiple directions.”
Sangma said that state government is working on different by-passes and informed that the government has formed a group of minister to discuss about the de-congestion of main towns and cities of the state headed by the CM and ministers not only to look after the de-congestion from the National Games viewpoint but the traffic jam faced by the state.
State Youth Policy
On the draft State Youth Policy, Sangma informed that it was in the final stage, which has been put up in public domain in 2017.
He added that the draft was in an advanced stage which emphasizes on different aspects to make the youth economically self-reliant and productive.