Thirty grassroots football schools would be set up at different places in Manipur including the remote areas besides opening a state of the art centre of excellence for football at Khuman Lampak sports complex in Imphal, the capital city of Manipur under Tata Trusts Grassroots Football Development Programme.
More than 50 boys and girls will be provided the best of football facilities and guidance in all the 30 grassroots football schools while the centre of excellence for football will have both education and football training facilities for 100 boys.
An understanding has been reached between Manipur Sports Authority and the Centre for Microfinance and Livelihood (CML), an associate organization of Tata Trusts in this regard by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday.
Manipur Youth Affairs and Sports Director Armstrong Pame represented the State Government and CML executive director Partho Patwari represented the company.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Letpao Haokip and representatives of CML and Tata Trusts, Secretary Youth affairs and Sports Bobby Waikhom, sports head of Tata Trusts, Biswanath Sinha, zonal head of (East and North East) of Tata Trusts, Vijay Yagnamurthy, international footballers and sports persons were also present on the occasion.
Those who attended the memorable event including the Chief Minister Biren felt that with the setting up of grassroots football schools and centre of excellence for football, the State would be able to produce world-class footballers and realize the dream of India playing in the FIFA World Cup soon.
The Chief Minister also informed that eight boys from the State represented India in the U-17 FIFA World Cup at Kolkata adding Manipur is one of the few states of the north-eastern region which has a team of its own for the I-League. He also highlighted the upcoming sports infrastructure development programmes during the occasion.
On the other hand, State Sports Minister Letpao Haokip said that Manipur has lots of talent not only in football but also in other sports disciplines as well. He also recalled that President of India, Ram Nath Kovind during his recent visit to the State called the State as the ‘Sports Capital of India’.
Tata Trust advisor Burzis S Taraporevala attending in the function said that they have now 12 projects under various themes including livelihood, sustainable energy and sports.
