Letpao bats for players' livelihood
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 19 2017:
Youth Affairs and Sports (YAS) Minister Letpao Haokip has categorically stated that securing a decent means of livelihood for each and every sportsperson of the State is his primary objective.
Talking with The Sangai Express at his Old Secretariat office yesterday, Letpao Haokip while noting that majority of the players of Manipur belong to economically weak families, underscored the need to provide each of them a means of livelihood.
Notably, Letpao Haokip grew up as a football player.
Apart from representing different local clubs, Letpao Haokip once represented Shillong, Tripura and Manipur University.
Doing menial works to earn family's livelihood and then going for sports practices in order to represent Manipur in respective sports disciplines would be too much a burden to the players, he said.
If the players are subjected to such insecure economic conditions for too long, there would not be any player left who would represent Manipur in National championships, Letpao Haokip stated.
On being enquired if he has any plan to keep up Manipur's reputation of being the country's sports power house, the YAS Minister informed that the Government has been working to develop a playground in each and every locality under Khello India project.
Admitting that the ongoing work of constructing a synthetic fibre ground could not be completed properly, Letpao Haokip pointed out that neighbouring Mizoram has eight synthetic fibre grounds.
Such synthetic fibre grounds would be developed at every district headquarters of the State under the Ministry of Sports, he asserted.
Talking about Special Area Games (SAG), the YAS Minister expressed spoke out against providing sub-standard diets to players.
Players should be provided nutritious diets and prices should not be a deterrent.
He informed that players who represent Manipur are now entitled to daily incentive of Rs 500 each as against the earlier Rs 100 .
The Government would work to provide jobs to State players who have represented India in international championships even if they do not win medals.
On being enquired about hiring a foreign coach for football, the Minister stated that the primary concern is not about engaging foreign coach but the exodus of State footballers to other States and clubs based outside the State soon after they start blossoming for the sake of their livelihood and future career.
"If they stay back in Manipur to represent the State, they may starve for most of them belong to economically weak families.
So the foremost priority is securing a decent means of livelihood for each one of them", Letpao asserted.
To another query about the game of Polo, Letpao Haokip confided that he was thinking about introducing an international polo league just like other games.
Informing that he has discussed his idea with the Governor, Letpao Haokip exuded confidence that there would be no dearth of sponsors for an international polo league.
Outstanding Manipuri polo players would benefit a lot in terms of financial security if they play in famous polo clubs of the USA, Germany and the UK.
This would also help in popularising the game of polo across the world.
Regarding establishment of National Sports University, Letpao claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Manipur any time and lay the foundation stone of the University.
At the initial stage, the university would hold its classes at Khuman Lampak Sports Complex.
Letpao Haokip who is also IFC Minister stated that an expert team of the Ministry of Water Resources would visit the State within the current month to study and formulate a plan to prevent inundation of Imphal city for good.
He said that there is a growing need for dredging the bed of Imphal River particularly in residential areas.
Except for Ithai Barrage, no other irrigation projects of the State were completed as per the prescribed standards, he added.
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