Rs 140 crore spent on Dimapur Sports Complex; govt exploring handover to SAI: CM Rio

The Nagaland Legislative Assembly was informed that a total of Rs 140 crore has been received so far for the construction of the Multi-Disciplinary Sports Complex in Dimapur, even as the state government explores the possibility of handing over the project to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to ensure its completion.

The details were shared in the House after MLA Nuklutoshi raised a starred question seeking information on the funds received and the reasons behind the delay in completing the Multi-Disciplinary Sports Complex.

Responding to the query, Minister for Rural Development and SIRD Metsubo Jamir said that Rs 43 crore had been received earlier from the Planning Commission during the period from 2006–2007 to 2010–2011. However, no additional funds were received after the transition to NITI Aayog. He added that the Government of Nagaland subsequently provided Rs 97 crore over the years, bringing the total funds received for the project to Rs 140 crore.

During the discussion, Nuklutoshi sought the views of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio regarding the progress of the project and the government’s plan to complete the sports complex.

In his reply, Rio said the project had been delayed due to limited financial resources and phased funding over the years. He informed the House that while Rs 140 crore has been received so far, the total requirement for completing the project is estimated at around Rs 267 crore, including GST and other associated costs.

The chief minister said the government is considering handing over the complex to the Sports Authority of India as a possible solution to complete the remaining construction and ensure proper utilisation of the facility.

He informed members that the process of handing over the project to SAI is currently underway. According to him, a second survey of the complex has already been conducted, and the remaining step involves signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the state government and the SAI regional directorate through the Department of Sports.

Rio further noted that the stadium has been designed with a seating capacity of around 30,000 and would require at least three entry points to ensure proper access and effective crowd management.

He added that once the facility is handed over, SAI will assist not only in completing the remaining construction but also in ensuring full utilisation of the complex through the deployment of coaches and the establishment of national-level training centres in various sports disciplines.