While the State Government is making all efforts to make Odisha sports capital of the country, a proposal in this regard has, however, not been sent to the Union Government.
Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Tusharkanti Behera informed this in the State Assembly response to a question of Congress MLA Suresh Kumar Routray and additional question of many other members on Friday.
He said the State Government is also planning to promote football in the State. There are five football stadiums, including the Kalinga Stadium, in the State now. A filed in the Kalinga Stadium, which was damaged in the Cyclone Fani, is being repaired now.
The Minister said out of 314 proposed mini stadiums, works have been undertaken for 185 and, of them, 170 have been completed now. All the mini stadiums are being constructed with States’ own fund. The State Government would soon send a proposal to the Centre seeking funds of sports development in the State.
Among others, Bhupinder Singh (BJD), Jaya Narayan Mishra (BJP), Rohit Pujari (BJD) put additional questions and placed demands of sports development in their constituencies.