Sports will be thrust area of PDA government:CM Neiphiu Rio

KOHIMA: In his budget speech on Friday, chief minister Neiphiu Rio said promotion of games of sports will be one of the thrust areas of the People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) and a new state sports policy will be released soon after consultation with professionals, international athletes and experienced sports administrators.
Further, he added that the government will have to plan a strategy to make sports an industry that provides gainful employment inside and outside competitive arenas.
"We will empower the sports associations and federations and at the same time make them responsible by bringing them under a monitoring mechanism under the Olympic Association. Our aim is to make Nagaland a hub of sporting activities where national and international sporting events are held regularly and to produce sportspersons of international calibre," he said.
Rio said the department of youth resources has five ongoing projects, valued at a total of Rs 31.05 crore, for creation of sports infrastructure in various parts of the state.
Rio also said a state-of-the-art T Ao Regional Football Academy will be established. "We will also restore the T Ao Sports Awards from this year in order to reward and recognize the achievements of our sportspersons, coaches and administrators who have served the state," he said.
Rio announced that the government will commemorate T Ao's (India's first and only Olympic football captain) centenary with a sports calendar with coaching camps for youngsters with foreign coaches, exposure events for budding footballers and tournaments. Rs 2 crore will be earmarked for the commemorative events and another Rs 2 crore will be earmarked for the sports events, he said.
The Hornbill International Motor Rally will be restored and a national-level Nagaland Cross Country race under the aegis of the Athletic Federation of India will be organized, Rio also said.