The Meghalaya cabinet on Wednesday discussed the preparations of the state for hosting the National Games in 2022. The sports department also briefed the cabinet about getting a fund of Rs 300 Cr from the union ministry of social justice and empowerment for constructing stadia.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that a land about 50 acres would be utilized for constructing stadia for the National Games at the New Shillong township while another land about 70 acres would be also utilized for building the games village.
“For creating the stadia, the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment is funding the state, and for building the games village, fund has to be managed by the state government,” Tynsong said.
He however did not have an answer as to why the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment came into the picture of funding the state for building infrastructure to host the National Games.
Tynsong informed that the sports department would also complete the process of engaging consultant, architect, and chief executive officer of the National Games by November 15.
Asked about the usual delay in completing big projects in Meghalaya, with only four years remaining to build huge infrastructure for the national games, Tynsong said, “the state government is determined to complete all required infrastructure within 2022.”
On Jan 3 this year, the Meghalaya government had signed the host city contract for hosting the 39th National Games in 2022, the year when the state would also celebrate 50 years of statehood.
After Manipur and Assam that hosted the National Games in 1999 and 2007 respectively, Meghalaya will be the third state in the Northeast to host the games in 2022.
