NE Cricket Development Committee formed
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 24 2016: The North East Cricket Association has formed the North East Cricket Development Committee in a meeting held on April 22 at Dimapur, according to a statement issued by Manipur Cricket Association.

The meeting was hoisted by Nagaland Cricket Association (NCA) and chaired by its president Neiphiu Rio (Member of Parliament and former CM of Nagaland) .

The meeting was participated by cricket associations from Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Nagaland.

The meeting discussed the problems and challenges � both common and State specific in nature, faced by the cricket associations and the roadmap for development of the game in the entire region.

Some of the decisions and resolutions of the meeting are � The house expressed its support and solidarity with the BCCI for promotion and development of the game and also appreciated the efforts of the BCCI in taking Indian cricket to the highest levels of the sport and acknowledged the contributions of BCCI to ensure holistic growth of cricket as a whole, including the international level.

The house resolved that Mizoram � a sister State from North East, be granted affiliation without further delay as their case is genuine and has been pending since last many years.

It is the only State in the North East yet to be granted membership of BCCI.

The development of the game at all levels in the North East was deliberated extensively and strategic programmes were formulated.

The programmes include more cricket activities, inter-state tournaments, exposure tours, improvement and augmentation of infrastructure, coaching, clinics for umpires and scorers including orientation by experts and competent resource persons of BCCI in respective field like AVP, Accounts etc.

The house also fully endorsed and lauded the recommendations of the New Area Development Program (NADP), which have been approved by the Working Committee of the BCCI few years earlier.

The house decided to impress upon the BCCI to implement the approved recommendations on a time bound approach, starting immediately.

The house noted that the North East cricket associations should be given sufficient assistance from the BCCI for development and promotion of the game and therefore the BCCI will be approached in a collective manner for more intensive developmental initiatives all over the region, including enhancement of annual grant/subsidy.

The house welcomed and appreciated the recommendations of the Lodha Commission instituted by the Supreme Court wherein it was recommended that all States of the country should be full voting members of the BCCI on the principle of "one state � one vote" policy followed by all other national sports organizations/associations.

The house also welcomed the observations of the Supreme Court regarding the difficulties of the north eastern States and its support for all States of the country to become full-fledged members of the BCCI.

The house expressed its disappointment on the views expressed by some members of the BCCI, like Baroda Cricket Association, in course of argument in the Supreme Court, as reported in the national media, that there was no presence of cricket in the North East and that the associations were not making efforts to promote the game.

The house observed that such type of erroneous statements are detrimental to the cause of the game and national unity as a whole.

Rather the associations observed that it was due to lack of adequate infrastructure and financial assistance that the activities and initiatives of the state associations were greatly restricted.

The house also felt the need for BCCI to intervene and advice other member states to refrain from making unsubstantiated and untrue allegations against BCCI member states of North East on cricket activities to further their individual interest at the expense of BCCI unity, which is the need of the hour.

The house resolved to extend full support and cooperation to the BCCI for development of the game and make all necessary contributions for national unity and nation building and also expected confidence that the BCCI would appreciate and extend all possible help to the region as equal and contributing members of the Indian cricket family.

The house unanimously observed that there was a need to collectively pursue the development and promotion of the game in a collective manner and that the north eastern associations should assist and coordinate with each other in all possible manner, within the rules and guidelines of BCCI in the greater interest of the game and in the interest of BCCI and Indian cricket and therefore a regional committee by the nomenclature North East Cricket Development Committee (NECDC) was set up, added the statement.

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