The Uttarakhand Government is fully committed for a successful and transparent conduction of the 38 National Games. The Minister of Forests and Sports Dinesh Agarwal said this while addressing newsmen at Mahrana Pratap Sports College Raipur on Tuesday.
The Minister complimented the senior officials of State Government for putting the case of the State strongly before the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) at a recent meeting in Chennai which tilted the scales in favour of the State. He said that the State Government would soon constitute a working committee for these games which would be based at sports college Raipur for smooth functioning of the mega event. Agarwal informed that the process of hiring reputed consultants which have experience of organising the events of such scale have started.
He said that the State Government would earmark a separate budget for successful hosting of these games and would seek the central financial help. In response to a question, Agarwal said that the State Government is in a position for smooth hosting the National Games even if the Central Government does not extend the desired financial help. He informed that construction of International stadiums at Raipur and Haldwani is in full swing and stadiums would also be constructed at Pithoragarh, Pipalkoti in Chamoli, Gairsain and Munsiyari. The Sports Minister said that the State Chief Minister, Harish Rawat has declared that 20 stadiums would be opened in the high altitude areas of the State for the promotion of sports. He claimed that the National games would also help in promotion of tourism in the State as this event would go a long way in allaying the fears of the tourists and changing the perception after the disaster of last year.
Agarwal said that the massive infrastructure developed for these games would help the sportsmen of the State which would help in producing excellent results both at national and international levels. The sports secretary Amit Negi said that National Games Society would be soon constituted and the process of selection of site for construction of Games Village has started. He informed that the Rajiv Gandhi international stadium is expected to be completed by December 2015. Negi said that for the central assistance for these games he has held discussions with Joint secretary Government of India and he has assured his support to the State.