Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot on Thursday said his Ministry has decided to set up one of the five National Sports Stadiums of international standard for differently-abled in Meghalaya at an estimated cost of over Rs 200 crore.
The Minister said that a Composite Regional Centre will also be set up in the state.
Gehlot announced this during the Samajik Adhikarita Shivir, (aids and assistive devices distribution camp) for differently abled persons under the Assistance to Disabled Person scheme organized at 5th Ground Polo in Shillong on Thursday.
“The Ministry intends to set up national sports stadium in five states across the country for the differently abled, and Meghalaya is one of the states,” Gehlot told media persons.
He said that this was decided after the chief minister of the state approached him with a proposal and also that he would provide 50 acres of land for the same.
Gehlot informed that the DPR will be prepared very soon and that the stadium, which will be of international standard, should come up before the National Games 2022. He said this will also enable the state to host Olympics for the differently-abled. He also said the Ministry will set up a Composite regional centre in the state and will start work once the space is made available.
Talking about the camp, Gehlot said it is the biggest camp in the North East and the message is that the public should know about the scheme and get to see and know about the quality of products they are getting. There are almost 7,000 beneficiaries in Shillong and Tura in the two days camp, and the central Government is spending almost Rs 7 crore.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said that the idea of setting up a stadium started three to four months back when he had met Gehlot and discussed an array of issues which he received good response and support.
He said this stadium will also be put to use during the National Games 2022. While expressing his satisfaction over being allotted one such sport centres of the country, he said that the state was lucky to have such a stadium.