Image: DIPR, Manipur

Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh along with state’s youth affairs and sports minister Letpao Haokip inspected the progress of construction of the permanent campus of the National Sports University (NSU) at Haraothel/Koutruk on the outskirts of Imphal on Tuesday.

The chief minister visit came a day after he had a video conferencing with union sports and youth affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on early completion of construction of the NSU campus within a stipulated time.

During the inspection visit, the chief minister and sports minister Letpao were briefed by the officials of NBCC, India Ltd, a central public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Housing & Urban affairs and the work agency of the project.

Also read: Rijiju inspects national sports university in Manipur

The project was delayed due to a communication gap between the Centre and the State, N Biren said.

As the matter has been sorted out now, the project would see the light of day soon, the chief minister added.

Now, the work agency has been changed and the project has been handed over to NBCC (India) Ltd.

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As such, the new agency has come up with new construction plans, drawing, blueprint, etc, he informed.

Informing that it is a pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also a dream university of the people of the Northeast in general and Manipur in particular, he said the government is taking it seriously.

A committee headed by the chief secretary, Manipur has been formed to oversee the work progress routinely, he added.

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Union youth affairs and sports secretary and joint secretary and commissioner, Government of Manipur would be the members of the committee which would submit reports to the chief minister and union minister Kiren Rijiju on weekly basis.

As such, the project would see visible changes soon, the chief minister felt.

It may be worth mentioning that the proposal for the setting up of the National Sports University was announced in 2014.

The foundation stone for the construction of the University was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 16, 2018.

Union Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju had also visited the campus site in September last year.