Will develop sports infrastructure : Maken
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 05 2011:
Admitting that the faith of the country in games and sports lies with the talented sportspersons of Manipur, Union minister of state (independent-charge) for sports and youth affairs Ajay Maken today assured Centre's all possible assistance to the state to produce world class sportspersons.
The minister, who came to the state on a two day visit, held an interaction with sportspersons of the state at Khuman Lampak SAI complex.
He said that he came here to inspect the condition of the Imphal SAI complex here of which former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had laid the foundation stone in 1987 .
Talking to the sportspersons, Maken said that if needed, foreign coaches will be utilised to impart training with latest technical know-how so that the state's sportspersons could improve their performances and to be able to expose their talents fully.
Maken said, he had been eager to interact with the sportspersons of the state after the excellent performances of the state's sportspersons in the recently concluded National Games.
He said that Centre was ready to bear all the funds required to renovate the fields at Khuman Lampak to suit with the time.
Centre is determined to supply all necessary equipments necessary for sportspersons here, he added.
The sportspersons insisted the union minister to construct separate hostels for boys and girls saying that there were inconveniences as both the boys and girls were lodged together in the existing hostel.
Cyclist Rameshwori asked the minister to provide facilities of booking railway reservations for sportspersons from Imphal.
The minister gave a positive response and said that he will hold consultations with the state government to provide the same at the earliest.
For the state YAS department, a memorandum containing demands like setting up of a regional football academy in Imphal, declaration of Imphal as the sports city of the country and Centre's assistance in the development of sport infrastructures, was submitted to the visiting YAS minister.
Before the interaction with sportspersons, Maken inspected conditions of the indoor stadium, athletics complex, hockey stadium and the main stadium inside the Khuman Lampak Sport Complex.