Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday asked the Sports and Youth Services Department to complete construction of at least 100 mini stadiums in rural areas by August-end. The Chief Minister issued the direction while reviewing performance of the Department during the last two years. He too approved a proposal to increase seat strength of sports hostel from current 1010 to 1,250. Besides, he increased monthly stipend for girl inmates from Rs 150 to Rs 300.
It was revealed that the Government has decided to give Rs 1 crore to Olympic gold medal winners. The State’s largest swimming pool underway at Sambalpur would be completed very soon.
Similarly, while reviewing Higher Education Department’s performance, Naveen directred to open Model Degree Colleges in eight educationally backward districts, Boudh, Deogarh, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Rayagada and Subarnapur. Each Model College will have 64 seats each in Arts, Science and Commerce streams. Besides, it was decided to open School of languages in Urdu and Santali in the Fakir Mohan University, Baleswar and the North Odisha University, Baripada from this academic year. The CM, while reviewing performance of the Rural Drinking Water Supply programme, stressed on establishing piped water projects in tribal dominated villages. He too directed the concerned department to provide drinking water facilities to 27,000 villages.