Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in a letter to Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Sarbananda Sonowal urged to reopen the SAI Sports Training Centre (STC) in Dhenkanal soon.
Pradhan in his letter to Sonowal cited that even though all procedural formalities, including signing of an MOU, have been completed and the centre has been equipped with necessary infrastructure, significantly admissions of athletes for the training centre have not yet started.The STC has a distinction for producing sports personalities like K Ravikumar of national and interventional repute in the field of weight lifting and Jagabandhu Modi in the field of football. But, surprisingly, the centre has remained closed since 2009.
Expecting a proactive approach of Union Sports Ministry, Pradhan said reopening of the SAI centre will help honing skill of the budding sports talents in the State.According to sources, in March 1992, the centre was launched under the SAI operational scheme. Initially it was started with the disciplines of athletics and football.
later in 1996, Wrestling and in 2001 Weightlifting and Kabaddi were included. On April 1, 2003, an MOU was signed for construction of three dormitory halls and one office room in Dhenkanal Stadium Gallery, facilities of 400 metres cinder track and indoor hall and a play field at the stadium.