CM advocates promotion of sports
DARAK, 24 Nov: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday advocated promoting games and sports activities “not only for a healthy body but also to foster brotherhood and unity among all for holistic development of a society.”
Declaring open the 5th edition of the Sports Carnival of Liromoba assembly constituency at Darak village in West Siang district, Khandu lauded local legislator Nyamar Karbak for organising the unique sports carnival in his constituency since 2016.
“This must be the only sports event organised annually in an assembly segment, participated by teams from
all gram panchayat levels,” he said, and urged other legislators to “take a cue.”
Khandu said that such events would bring people from different panchayats and villages together and create a positive ambience, “which in turn will accelerate development from the grassroots level.”
“We are giving top priority to games and sports, and the results are showing. Today, Arunachal Pradesh is considered a sporting powerhouse, especially in individual events,” he said.
Khandu informed that the state government is constructing “15 big sports infrastructures, worth Rs 23 crore, across the state, with support from the National Sports Development Fund.”
He further said that, of the seven national-level outdoor stadiums, four – one each in Yupia, Ziro, Daporijo, and Pasighat – are complete and functional, while work on the other three – in Aalo, Chimpu, and Tezu – is in progress.
He expressed concern over the delay in completion of the Aalo outdoor stadium, which was sanctioned about five years ago.
“When an airport (Donyi Polo Airport) can be completed in just three years, why can’t a stadium be?” he said, and urged the executing agency, the contractor and the district administration to complete the stadium’s construction at the earliest.
Khandu informed also that 20 multipurpose indoor sports halls are under construction in various parts of the state under the Khelo India programme. Of them, three – in Tirbin, Basar, and Dirang – are complete, he said.
He further informed that three more sports infrastructures have been sanctioned by the DoNER ministry and will soon be executed.
“I have already suggested to our sports department and the Arunachal Olympic Association to plan and roll out a ‘Mission Olympics’, targeting the 2028 Olympics Games,” he said.
Khandu said that the state’s sportspersons are excelling in individual events like karate, wushu, taekwondo, weightlifting, etc, and asked the sports department to identify at least five such disciplines and groom the players for them.
“We have no dearth of funds. Let us nurture, groom, and produce world-class sportspersons who can compete in events like the Olympics,” he said.
The weeklong sports carnival is being organised by the Lodu Banggo Sports Association, and teams from all 31 gram panchayats of the constituency will be competing in various events, including football.
On the same day, the chief minister inaugurated at least 29 projects in Liromoba constituency, constructed by the PWD, the RWD, the PHED, the Arunachal police housing, and the sports department.
Later, on the way to Kamba, the CM visited Nomuk village, and commended the decision of the villagers to convert the defunct village school into a Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya. He assured to take up the matter with the Vivekananda Kendra, “so that the proposal materialises.”
The CM also assured to place funds for the maintenance of the roads to Nomuk, Yomcha, and Liromoba. (CM’s PR Cell)
