Procurement of sports equipment to begin next month
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 26 2022: Youth Affairs and Sports (YAS) Minister Govindas Konthoujam has announced that purchase and procurement of modern sports equipment would begin next month.

He was speaking at the inaugural function of a Khelo India Centre for Fencing at Khongman, Imphal East today.

Govindas noted that most of the sports equipment being used in the State were purchased during the 5th National Games hosted by the State in 1999 .

"I recently met Union YAS Minister Anurag Thakur and raised a proposal for purchasing new and modern sports equipment", Govindas said.

The Union YAS Minister accepted the proposal and the necessary sanction is likely to be granted soon.

As such, purchase and procurement of new sports equipment would begin next month, he said.

Manipur is well known in the fields of art & culture, sports and natural beauty.

Manipur is even called the country's powerhouse in sports, he remarked.

The Khelo India Centre opened today was the second centre of the State.

Earlier, a Khelo India Centre for Badminton was opened at Kakching.

In total, 16 Khelo India Centres would be opened in the State's 16 districts for 16 sports disciplines.

Further, the Government of India recently approved opening of additional 16 District Khelo India Centres in the State, Govindas said.

Out of Rs 7 lakh sanctioned for each Khelo India Centre, Rs 2 lakh had been set aside for payment of salary to each centre's mentor.

There is no question of misappropriation of fund, the YAS Minister said.

He further informed that the Central Government has given its consent to opening a Centre of Excellence for Hockey at Khuman Lampak Sports Complex.

He said that two fencing pitches would be awarded to the Khongman Fencing Academy where a District Khelo India Centre for Fencing has been opened.

In line with the CM's wish to hold the next Durand Cup in Manipur, the State Government has been working two football grounds each in Imphal East and Imphal West and one each in Thoubal and Bishnupur, he said.

The YAS Minister said that he would examine if one such football ground can be developed at the SWC ground of Khongman Atom Leirak.

He urged the local club (SWC) to measure the area of the ground and submit a report to the YAS Director at the earliest.

Speaking at the inaugural function, Power Minister Thongam Biswajit said that the Khelo India programme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017-18.Earlier, there was a similar programme known as Rajiv Gandhi Khel-Khut Abhiyan.

Khelo India programme was launched with a vision to start a strong sports movement in the country and make the youth fit and healthy, Biswajit said.

He said that sports is now a profession and also an important part of formal education.

He asserted that a strong sports movement powered by Khelo India programme would definitely help in achieving the goal of the Chief Minister's War on Drugs.

YAS Director T Phulen Meitei was also present at the inaugural function.

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