Footballer turned legislator raised sports related issues in Session

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 10, 2022

Minister in-charge Sports & Youth Affairs Banteidor Lyngdoh on Thursday said the department will finalize the operational manual to implement the Sports Policy in the next three months.

After the notification of the Sports Policy on December 12, 2019, the department started the process of drafting an operation manual for the same, Banteidor said while replying to a query raised by UDP legislator from Mawphlang Eugeneson Lyngdoh in the Assembly.

He however said that the process could not be finished owing to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the last 2 years, he added.

The football icon-turned politician also wanted to know the steps taken to prepare the athletes for the National Games to be held in the state and if the infrastructure constructed for the National Games be given to the different sports association for use as permanent training facilities,

Eugene further raised pertinent questions related to issues concerning the welfare of sports persons when he asked whether any specific allocation being given to the different SAs, whether any scholarship to support young athletes who have won medals, for their education and the number of athletes being provided jobs through the sports quota.

In his reply, Banteidor said that the department is scrutinizing the proposals of the different sports associations (SAs) including hiring of renowned coaches to train the athletes for the National Games.

He however said construction of the JN Stadium and various other infrastructure are going on in full swing adding “(On whether the infrastructure will be given to the different SAs) that will be decided later on.”

The minister further informed that information is being sought from the Meghalaya Public Services Commission (MPSC) on the number of athletes who have been recruited through the sports quota.

He said that the government of Meghalaya has approved grant-in-aid amounting to Rs 1 crore to 29 SAs during the current financial year.

“We also request the SAs to submit their utilization certificates (UCs) on time,” the minister said while informing that the government had also sanctioned Rs 1.25 crore as scholarship to over 264 students, who have won medals in the different regional and national tournaments.