BHUBANESWAR 12-Jun-2006 64
Infrastructure facility for sports in the State received a notable boost with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik unveiling the foundation tablet of the proposed State Sports Academy and that of a diving and practice pool here at Kalinga Stadium today.
A joint venture project of the Union and the State Governments, the Academy will feature top class facility to nurture talents in two games — hockey as major one and athletics as the other one. The diving and practice pools will be an addition to the existing international standard swimming pool, which was inaugurated earlier on March 4.
The construction work of the diving and practice pools will be completed within six months to make the facility a full-fledged acqua sports centre,’’ Patnaik announced at a glittering function. State Industries Minister Biswabhusan Harichandan, Steel and Mines Minister Padmanav Behera, Sports Minister Debasis Nayak, Rajya Sabha Members Pyari Mohan Mohapatra and Baijayanta Panda were present on the occasion.
The Academy will be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 20.40 crore, out of which the Union Government is expected to share Rs 8.33 crore. Orissa Minining Corporation (OMC) has assured to contribute Rs 4.5 crore, while the State Government will provide Rs 3 crore. Rajya Sabha Members Mohapatra and Panda have given Rs 10 lakh each from their Local Area Development Fund. The rest amount will be collected from other sources, including contributions from corporate houses.
Facilities of the Academy will include an international standard hockey stadium with astro turf and gallery for 12,000 spectators, a practice field for hockey, an eight-lane synthetic track for athletics (already existing), hostels for 64 boys and girls in hockey and 36 boys and girls in athletics, gynasium, sports science centre, floodlights and electronic score boards.
According to State Sports Secretary Suresh Chandra Patnaik, two autonomous bodies will be constituted to manage the functioning of the academy as well as the aqua sports centre. ‘‘Rules and regulations for the users of the facilites will be announced soon,’’ he said.
Both the projects will be executed by Infrastructure Development Corporation of Orissa (IDCO). The diving and the practice pools can be viewed as IDCO’s gift to sports in the State as the corporation itself will bear the construction cost.
