MALAPPURAM:
The Government has embarked on a firm course to transform Kerala into a sports-friendly state by stepping up and upgrading infrastructure and extending all support to sportspersons, Minister for Industries, Sports and Youth Affairs, E P Jayarajan, said here on Saturday.
He was speaking after inaugurating the construction work of the Mini Stadium at the Government Manavedan Vocational Higher Secondary School here. The Government has set apart a substantial amount of Rs 700 crore for sports and planned to develop 54 stadiums and sports complexes across the state, the Minister said.
Kerala is certain to have its representation in the Indian contingent of Olympics, he said. Noting that Malappuram district is known for its passion for football, Jayarajan said profit-making public sector undertakings in the state had been instructed to support and encourage soccer and other the games.
P.V. Anwar MLA, presided over the function. Sanjayan Kumar, Director, Sports and Youth Affairs, was present. The mini stadium, proposed in the 2016-17 budget, will come up at the 6.47 acre land owned by GHSS, Manavedan. It has got an administrative sanction for Rs 17.26 crore and the KIIFB’s approval for Rs 18.30 crore.
The stadium will have facilities like a football ground of FIFA standards, swimming pool, state-of-the-art indoor stadium, six-lane 400M synthetic track, VIP room, media room and players room. It will be completed in one-and-a-half years.
