Tura, Jan 12: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma today inaugurateed the the first ever athletics stadium in the town of Tura.
Named after the legendary Garo Martyr Pa Togan Nengminja Sangma, the track and field stadium was inauguarted in the presence of Meghalaya Speaker, Thomas A Sangma, Sports & Youth Affairs Minister, Shakliar Warjri, Minister incharge PHE, etc, Marcuise N Marak, CEM, GHADC, Tura Albinush R Marak, MLA Kharkutta, Rupert Momin, MLA Mahendraganj constituency, Sanjay A Sangma, Director, Sports & Youth Affairs, Meghalaya Shillong, Isawanda Laloo, other distinguished dignitaries and enthusiast athletes.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma dedicated the stadium, the first of its kind track and field stadium to the youth of the state of Meghalaya and urged them to use it to the best of their ability and maintain it well.
Congratulating the Minister incharge Sports and Youth Affairs and the entire team, he said that their dedicated and relentless effort and hard work had made the first phase of the project complete in a stipulated time frame.
He further informed that the second phase of the project would include the gallery with shops, rooms and facilities so that this place can be used for many other programmes and if technology and rules allow even other events could be held so that we can get maximum utility from the infrastructure and investment made for this particular place.
The CM further stated that the government in the last five years has ongoing projects of about Rs 500 crores in the department of Sports and Youth Affairs with more projects coming up.
Further, he mentioned about a state of the art stadium in Jaintia Hills, football stadium in Shillong, indoor stadium in Shillong and Tura with indoor facilities for basketball, table tennis and other indoor sports will be inaugurated soon.
“With the kind of investment being made in the sports infrastructure, Meghalaya will soon become one of the top states in terms of sports infrastructure in the next 3 to 4 years,” he added.
“The reason for this huge investment is to allow the youth to give an opportunity to the youth, to be able to do the things they like to do, to be able to follow the passion they want, to be able to excel in the sports they want and this is being provided by the Government of Meghalaya”, he said. Further, mentioning that in the last five years after investing in the youth, he said that he had seen great results in sports, music (Meghalaya Grassroots Music Programme), and entrepreneurship through Prime hub and in many such areas.
Moreover, he also mentioned that the Stadium had been named in respect and memory of the Garo Freedom Fighter Pa Togan Nengminja Sangma and to imbibe his values. Further, he mentioned that this Meghalaya Games 2024 would be historic as the honorable President of India would inaugurate the opening ceremony and everyone should be proud to take part in it.
Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, Meghalaya Shillong Shakliar Warjri expressed his gratitude to the Chief Minister for his initiative and others who had contributed in making this project a success. He also mentioned that the Government is committed to ensure that the youths of the State are provided with the best facilities and empower them through sports and would create more facilities for sportspersons so that they can shine beyond boundaries in future.
Speaker, Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Thomas A Sangma, Director, Sports & Youth Affairs, Meghalaya Shillong, Isawanda Laloo, Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills, Tura Jagdish Chelani, General Secretary, Meghalaya Athletics Association, F L Pariat were among others who spoke during the inaugural function.