Shillong, Jun 12: The Meghalaya cabinet approved the Directorate of Sports & Youth Affairs’ proposal to take over 64.34 acres of land at Umsawli in the New Shillong Township to construct the games village of the 39th National Games, which Meghalaya is meant to host in 2022.
The land in question belongs to the Urban Affairs and General Administration departments, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said after today’s cabinet meeting held here.
Last month Sports & Youth Affairs Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh told the Assembly that preparations for the Games have continued despite the turmoil caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Although the state government has always remained positive publicly about meeting deadlines in order to host the Games in 2022, the coronavirus pandemic has thrown a major spanner in the works; a few days after Lyngdoh made his statement to the house, the much-delayed 36th National Games, which were set to be held later this year, were postponed indefinitely because of the virus.
The previous edition of the Games was held in 2015 in Kerala.
(Photo: Facebook/Conrad Sangma)