hockey turf
Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein along with other officials at the inauguration. Photo: DIPR

Arunachal Pradesh gets its first synthetic hockey turf which was inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein at the Sangay Lhaden Sports Academy (SLSA) at Chimpu, near Itanagar on Wednesday.

An official statement issued to the media detailed that the turf was constructed by the engineering wing of the Department of Sports with an estimated cost of Rs 500 lakhs.

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The state-of-the-art hockey ground is the first project of its kind in the State, funded under the ‘Khelo India Scheme’, a flagship programme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

Speaking at the inaugural function, Mein lauded the SLSA for its endeavour in tapping the hidden sports talents of the State and for imparting scientific training and coaching to them, besides providing academic education.

He, however, emphasized on providing more training facilities and urged the sports academy to upgrade the level of competitions and produce more sportspersons from the state like that of Manipur.

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The Deputy Chief Minister further informed that sports facilities will now be extended to the district headquarters too.

State-gets-its-first-synthetic-hockey-turf
The synthetic hockey turf. Photo: DIPR

Notably, another state-of-the-art sports academy will also be established in Tirap, Changlang and Longding region, which was announced during the Budget speech.

Seven new major stadiums are coming up at Yupia, Pasighat, Ziro, Daporijo, Chimpu, Aalo and Tezu

Out of these, the construction work of Yupia, Pasighat, Ziro and Daporijo is on the verge of completion.

Assuring to strengthen the men power of the Department of Sports & Youth Affairs, Mein asked Parliamentary Secretary for Sports & Youth Affairs Nyamar Karbak, who was also present at the inaugural function, to send the proposal to place it before the Cabinet.

He also asked the department to submit the detailed project report for rostrum and public gallery around the hockey and football ground at the SLSA and assured to provide fund for the same.