'Arunachal Government has prepared road map to groom sportspersons', says Sports Minister

The Arunachal Sports Minister Mama Natung on August 29 said that the state government has prepared a road map to groom sportspersons so that they could win medals. 

He was speaking during an event here to honour the meritorious sportspersons with cash incentives on the occasion of National Sports Day, commemorating the birth anniversary of Hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand Singh. 

''The minister said the state government would invest in the sports sector to provide extensive training to the sportspersons in a few selected disciplines,'' Natung added.

He further informed that Chief Minister Pema Khandu has already announced cash incentives to Olympic medal winners to the tune of Rs 5 crore for gold medalists, Rs 3 crore for silver medalists and Rs 2 crore for bronze medalists respectively.

''The government would leave no stone unturned to achieve it,'' he added.

Natung further the Central government has already started a national centre of excellence, the third in the northeast after Manipur and Assam, at Sangay Lhaden Sports Academy, near here, for the elite level players with boxing, weightlifting, hockey, wushu and archery disciplines.
    
"As many as 54 centres of Khelo India were approved by the Centre for the state for development of grassroots level sports and out of which 41 are operative," Natung said.
    
The Sports Minister also called upon the youth to stay away from drugs and engage in sporting activities to remain fit and healthy in tune with the Fit India movement objectives.
    
He disclosed that several national and international competitions were organised in the state to boost the morale of the state's sportspersons.
    
"Today our sportspersons have developed skills to compete in various national and international events and bagged many medals. Since 2019 the state's sportspersons have won 319 medals in various disciplines including 81 national and international medals," he added. 

The minister said Arunachal Pradesh would host the final round matches of the Santosh Trophy Football tournament after 82 years in Itanagar in November and December, where the top six finalist teams would participate.
    
As many as 41 sportspersons in badminton, football, karate, taekwondo, weightlifting and wushu disciplines along with 12 coaches were felicitated with cash incentives to the tune of Rs 31.10 lakh, for the year 2018-19 on the occasion.

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