‘First National Sports University of country allocated to Manipur’

New Delhi, Aug 3: Highlighting a remarkable transformation in the sports infrastructure in the North-eastern region in the last nine years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur informed the Parliament on Thursday that the country’s first-ever national-level sports university has been allocated to Manipur at cost of Rs 643.34 crore.

He said that unlike the previous governments who had a ‘Look East Policy’, the current Narendra Modi government has adopted an ‘Act East Policy’ under which special emphasis has been given to sports infrastructure in the North-East region.

“In an oral reply to a Parliament question on Sports Infrastructure Facilities in North East Region, Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Anurag Singh Thakur said that with the shift from ‘Look East Policy’ to ‘Act East Policy,’ the Government has given special emphasis and impetus to sports infrastructure in the North-east region,” Anurag Thakur said.

He also said that the first national Sports University of the country has been allocated to the northeast state of Manipur at a total sanctioned cost of Rs.643.34 crore, read a press release from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports detailing Thakur’s response.

He further said that 1000 Khelo India centres will be dedicated to the country this year itself, out of which 227 Khelo India Centres are being established in the northeast region.

He also informed that the Ministry has approved 75 sports infrastructure projects at a combined sanctioned cost of Rs 520.60 crore.

“Three National Centres of Excellence, 12 SAI Training Centres and 22 Khelo India accredited Sports Academies are already functional in the North-Eastern States,” he added.