Shillong, Aug 12: The Meghalaya government has set a budget of Rs 23.27 crore for operational and logistical expenses for the 39th National Games, which the state is scheduled to host next year.
The decision was taken at a meeting by a ‘high power committee’ on Tuesday.
Sports & Youth Affairs Minister Wailadmiki Shylla said the approved budget would cover operational and logistical requirements of the National Games Society, including expenses related to committees, training and volunteers, visits by sports associations, the Indian Olympic Association and the Union Ministry, besides the recruitment of young professionals to assist the various committees.
The meeting also decided to provide lump-sum financial assistance to 30 sports associations preparing for the National Games but the amount for each association has not yet been finalised. Shylla said the assistance would be determined according to the specific requirements of each association. This assistance is expected to cover transportation as well as health and medical requirements, including physiotherapy and related equipment.
The government has already provided around Rs 39 crore in support to associations for equipment and pledged an additional Rs 23 crore for athlete accommodation, diet and nutrition and competition exposure. The total state budget for the Games in total is expected to be around Rs 600 crore.
The Minister said the government has also decided to provide a stipend to athletes who make the final teams representing Meghalaya at the National Games. The final teams are expected to be identified by November. The stipend decision followed requests from athletes and sports associations, particularly concerning athletes from financially weaker backgrounds.
The meeting further directed the Health Department to work out a special provision to increase the Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) coverage for sportspersons, particularly in view of injuries sustained in contact sports.
On coordination with national sporting bodies, Shylla said Meghalaya would seek an appointment with the Union Sports Minister and the IOA in Delhi to discuss equipment specifications and other technical requirements. He said the Game Technical Conduct Committee (GTCC) has still not been formed and Meghalaya would urge the authorities to constitute it at the earliest.
Meanwhile, the proposed National Games logo also remained under discussion, with Shylla saying the designs presented at Tuesday’s meeting were not satisfactory. He said the department had been asked to work further on the logo so that it could better reflect Meghalaya’s culture and identity.
Meghalaya will also send a team to other North East states in early September to inspect competition venues and assess operational preparedness for events being hosted outside the state, as certain disciplines will be co-hosted across the North East.
The committee also approved around 20 National Games committees, with chairpersons and member secretaries identified for each. Shylla said notifications would be issued soon, allowing the committees to begin their work and meetings.