Kohima, October 13 (MExN): The Government will be coming out with a comprehensive Sports Policy, proclaimed Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio at the closing function of the NE-Zone Inter-State Badminton Championship in Dimapur.
The event was organised by the Nagaland Badminton Association at the Dimapur District Badminton Association Indoor Stadium today.
With the objective of identifying and promoting sport disciplines suitable to the state’s populace, the policy will be implemented so that the state’s “players can be at par with national and international level sportspersons,” he said. He further solicited the support of the Government of India in this endeavour, stated a press release from the Chief Minister’s Office.
The release stated that Rio, who was chief host of the event, lamented that even though it is the “second senior-most” state after Assam in the Northeast, the Nagaland Olympic Association could get affiliated to the Indian Olympic Association only in 2004, after 41 years of Statehood.
Independent India’s football team to the 1948 Olympics was led by a Naga – Dr T Ao, he pointed out.
While the state’s first participation in the 33rd National Games held in February 2007 at Guwahati produced 11 medals, which included 1 gold, the performance in subsequent years declined, he further stated.
Highlighting the fact that the northeastern region has huge inborn talents, Rio said that there is lack adequate training facilities due to which the potential of the youth could not be explored fully, the CMO release added.
The Chief Minister also lauded the President of NBA L. Kire and his colleagues, the DDBA, and all those involved in the success of the championship.
Earlier, delivering the presidential address, L Kire, IFS, conveyed messages of Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, President of the Badminton Association of India, who was scheduled to attend the programme but could not due to an official engagement in Delhi.
Touching upon the lack of sports infrastructure and facilities in Nagaland, Kire informed that the Government of Nagaland had already submitted a proposal to the Union Sports Ministry for an 8-court indoor badminton stadium which is under active consideration.
The Chief Minister has personally taken the initiative to request Union Sports Minister and was hopeful that with the combined support of the leaders, the project will materialize soon, he said, as per the CMO release.
Incidentally, the “Youth Affairs & Sports” section of the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) government assured “a new Nagaland State Sports Policy will be announced within 100 days” in power. Seven months on since the ambitious declaration, it is yet to come out with the policy.
