Arunachal Pradesh sports and youth affairs minister Mama Natung on Thursday said Arunachal Pradesh will be hosting the National Games in 2024.
Addressing the first coordination meeting with departmental heads on implementing sports schemes effectively, Natung said the state would also be hosting the Northeast Youth Festival (NEYF) in 2020 and Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) in 2022.
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“We will work on the basic needs of infrastructure to host all the games in the State which the Centre is ready to fund,” said Natung while reminding that the major projects of building stadiums in the state had been halted because of the change in government.
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“Though these projects were halted due to some reasons, the state government has apprised the Centre and soon the fund for completion of the stadiums will be provided and the work will be completed at the earliest,” Natung told media persons.
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He said a team comprising various government departments will be constituted for monitoring all the work process in the construction of the stadiums.
When asked about a permanent solution on stapled visa provided by the China to people of Arunachal Pradesh, Natung said he did not have much of an idea but will be pursuing the matter with the union ministry of sports.
Former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had admitted that the issue of China granting stapled visas to Indians from Arunachal Pradesh remains unresolved.
Sports Authority of Arunachal (SAA) chairman Bamang Tago said the SAA has allocated Rs. 2.6 crore for sports association participating at the national levels.
And 80 per cent of the fund is used only in participation level while remaining is discharged as salary.
“There were only nine sports associations in the state earlier but today there are 25 participating in national level games and out of them 14 are excelling,” he said.
Sports and youth affairs secretary Dani Sulu said that the state government has taken up a policy for awarding a cash prize to all the players who achieve laurels in regional, State and national level events on August 29 every year.
“We will continue to do this, but it is not possible to fund every individual who represents the state. But we help sportspersons in every possible way we can,” he said.