Srinagar, April 25 (MExN): Nagaland Advisor for Youth Resources and Sports, Keoshu Yimkhiung, has urged the Centre to expedite the establishment of a Sports Authority of India (SAI) regional office in the state and the takeover of a Multi-Disciplinary Sports Complex (MDSC) in Dimapur.
Participating in the “Chintan Shivir” of Ministers of Youth Affairs and Sports of states and Union Territories being held in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir from April 24 to 26, Yimkhiung appreciated the initiatives of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MoYAS) in promoting sports across the country.
He, however, emphasised that the support of SAI remains crucial for the growth and progress of sports in states, stating that without its active presence, it becomes difficult to move forward effectively.
Drawing attention to the situation in Nagaland, Yimkhiung said the state has been requesting the establishment of a separate SAI regional office, as it is currently being overseen by the regional office in Manipur, which has led to several operational challenges. He noted that Nagaland presently has only one SAI branch academy.
He recalled that the issue was raised earlier during the 2023 Chintan Shivir held in Manipur in the presence of Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur, following which a team from the ministry and SAI Regional Office, Manipur, visited the existing Multi-Disciplinary Sports Complex (MDSC) in Dimapur for a possible handover to SAI.
According to him, all necessary formalities, including the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), have been completed. He added that a reminder was also submitted to the Secretary, SAI, during a subsequent Chintan Shivir held in Hyderabad, but no response has been received so far.
Highlighting the infrastructure, Yimkhiung said the 64-acre MDSC in Dimapur, located in the heart of the town, already has significant facilities developed by the state government. These include a gallery with a seating capacity of 50,000, a futsal court, a multipurpose hall, a wrestling academy with hostel facilities, and a football academy hostel.
He said handing over the complex to SAI would significantly strengthen the sports ecosystem in Nagaland and help nurture young talent.
Yimkhiung urged the concerned authorities to expedite the process for setting up a separate regional director’s office in Nagaland and for taking over the sports complex at the earliest.
