Arunachal to provide extensive training to sportspersons in few selected disciplines: Minister

Itanagar, Aug 29 (PTI) The Arunachal Pradesh government has drawn up a roadmap for Mission Olympic 2032, to groom sportspersons of the state so that they could win medals and bring laurels to the state and the country, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Mama Natung said here on Tuesday.

Addressing an event here to honour the meritorious sportspersons with cash incentives on the occasion of National Sports Day, commemorating the birth anniversary of Hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand Singh, the minister said the state government would invest in the sports sector to provide extensive training to the sportspersons in a few selected disciplines.

“Chief Minister Pema Khandu has already announced cash incentives to Olympic medal winners to the tune of Rs 5 crore for gold medalist, Rs 3 crore for silver medalist and Rs 2 crore for bronze medalist respectively,” Natung said, adding that the government would leave no stone unturned to achieve it.

He said the state government in order to motivate the sportspersons, has so far provided more than Rs 5 crore since 2016 and an amount of Rs 1 crore has been kept in the budget provision for 2023-24 for creating state-of-the-art sports infrastructure and honing sporting talents.

The minister said that the Central government has already started a national centre of excellence, the third in the northeast after Manipur and Assam, at Sangay Lhaden Sports Academy, near here, for the elite level players with boxing, weightlifting, hockey, wushu and archery disciplines.

“As many as 54 centres of Khelo India were approved by the Centre for the state for development of grassroots level sports and out of which 41 are operative,” Natung said.

He called upon the youth to stay away from drugs and engage in sporting activities to remain fit and healthy in tune with the Fit India movement objectives.

The minister disclosed that several national and international competitions were organised in the state to boost the morale of the state’s sportspersons.

“Today our sportspersons have developed skills to compete in various national and international events and bagged many medals. Since 2019 the state’s sportspersons have won 319 medals in various disciplines including 81 national and international medals,” he said, adding that three Wushu players from the state would participate in the Asian Games to be held in China next month.

“We are confident that our players will not return empty hand from the sporting event”, he asserted.

The minister said Arunachal Pradesh would host the final round matches of the Santosh Trophy Football tournament after 82 years in Itanagar in November and December, where the top six finalist teams would participate.

As many as 41 sportspersons in badminton, football, karate, taekwondo, weightlifting and wushu disciplines along with 12 coaches were felicitated with cash incentives to the tune of Rs 31.10 lakh, for the year 2018-19 on the occasion.