JN stadium with 30,000 capacity to be completed by June 2024
From Our Correspondent
Tura, Jan 12: Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma, while inaugurating the new Pa Togan Nengminza Sangma track and field stadium asserted that the NPP led government was all for youth engagement and the focus was on creating sporting infrastructure in all areas such that in the coming few years, the state would have the densest sports infrastructure if not in the whole country then at least in the East and North East of India.
“This is just the first phase of the development. We will try and maximize the utility of the place not just for athletics but for other sports as well,” said Conrad.
The CM added that Meghalaya Games would be held in different parts of the state and the government was bent upon investing hundreds of crores for the development of sports and sporting infrastructure.
“We already have ongoing sports projects of about Rs 500 crores in the past few years and we will be investing 100s of crores into sports infrastructure development. Within 15 days we will inaugurate another stadium in Nartiang.
Two months from now the SSA stadium will be inaugurated. 18 months from today we hope to inaugurate the indoor stadium in Shillong and Tura.
These will include facilities for basketball, table tennis, volleyball and other sports,” stated the CM.
He added that by June this year, they expect to inaugurate the JN stadium which will have a capacity of 30,000 and will be the largest in the state.
“In the next 3-4 years, the state will have sporting infrastructure everywhere and we will be the densest if not in the entire country then at least in the East and NE region.
The reason for this is that we strongly believe in our youth and we have seen what they have achieved in the arenas of sports, music and entrepreneurship when provided the opportunities,” he added.
He further referred to a program in the state (Project Star) which is looking to identify sportspersons who are not only good but world class.
We have identified at least 12 such sportspersons in the state who were not even aware of the quality they had but after scientific monitoring were found to be good enough not only for the country but even on an international level.
“We are scientifically testing our youths under the program to see what sports they can excel in.
This is possibly the first in the entire country.
We have identified 12 such athletes and they are being trained.
We had screened around 20000 athletes and identified 12 who were found to be super athletes and they never knew it till they were identified as such.
Today we have athletes who are close to matching national records,” he added.
Earlier the CM mentioned that it was the first time that such infrastructure was present in Garo Hills while adding that they had strategically ensured that various schools and colleges were provided sports equipment to ensure that even after the games these will be used in the future as well.
Speaking to athletes present in the inauguration, Conrad stressed that the presence of the President of India, Draupadi Murmu in attending the inauguration of the Meghalaya Games was indicative of what the President believed in of the people of the state.