SHILLONG: The 1st Games Technical Conduct Committee (GTCC) for the National Games has stated that there is no magic but a willpower which is required from the Meghalaya Government to host the National Games in 2022.
The GTCC headed by RK Sacheti which met the Sports Minister, Banteidor Lyngdoh here on Thursday said that they had seen the sites and they were confident that Meghalaya could host the Games in Novembe-December, 2022.
“ In terms of the sites, sports Village and stadiums which they have proposed, the Games are feasible and with two consultants and parameters, we are confident that things can happen and Meghalaya is fully prepared,” Sacheti said.
When asked what magic would enable Meghalaya to prepare the infrastructure for the mega sporting event in two and half years, he said that if Meghalaya has the will power, it would take two and half years to complete everything.
Informing that with timelines, Meghalaya Government has prepared all tenders and bidding documents, he added that if major construction works starts by June this year, the Government can definitely achieve the target.
As far as the main stadium is concern, he said that the Government was just awaiting an approval from the Union Cabinet after which Government would immediately invite tender.
Reacting to a query, he also said that the Meghalaya Government had taken a firm decision to host the Games in 2022 as it sidelined with the celebration of 50 years of Meghalaya’s statehood.
Meanwhile, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister, Banteidor Lyngdoh said that the State Government was keen to host the National Games in 2022 since it coincided with the celebrations of 50 years of Meghalaya’s statehood.
“We are committed to ensure that the timelines is met on the development of the various infrastructure requires for the games,” Lyngdoh told reporters..
Replying to a question that the committee had observed that the Meghalaya Government would not be able to meet the timeline to host the mega sports event if it is not able to start the work within June this year, he said that the Government was exploring many options to ensure that the timeline could be met with the development of various infrastructures for the Games.
“We are keeping a target to proceed ahead with the work on some of the projects by this coming March or April. We understands that the Government will face an uphill task to meet the timeline if the work does not commence by June,” he said.
According to Sports and Youth Affairs Minister, the tendering process on some of the projects has already been started adding that the Government is targeting to complete the tendering process on all the projects for the National Games by February.
Informing that the State Government has managed to mobilise around Rs 450 crore from the various Ministries for development of the required infrastructure for the games, he said that the total expenditure would not touch even Rs 1000 crore since many of the existing infrastructure would also be utilised for the games.