By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Secretary Sports and Youth Services, R. Vineel Krishna, elaborated on the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s vision on creating a new identity for Odisha through Sports and productively engaging the youth through sports as a major platform. The Chief Minister desires that Odisha should become a health, fitness and sports-oriented society. And therefore, in the last few years the state government has been investing in creating massive infrastructure, organizing national and international sports championships, unique models of coaching in partnership with corporates and elite sportspersons etc. The successful organisation of the Hockey World Cup recently is a prime example of the team work of the State Government, wherein all the departments and districts put up a grand show which brought laurels to the state and country.
Odisha is investing more than Rs 2500 crores in sports infrastructure which includes 90 indoor tadiums in ULBs, India’s first indoor Athletic Stadium, indoor aquatic center, High performance centers for Hockey, badminton, weightlifting, gymnastics, athletics, etc. , Hockey training centers, Football training centers, Swimming Training centers, Gymnastics Training centers etc.
MD IDCO Bhupendar Poonia explained on how the World’s largest all-seated Hockey Stadium Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, Rourkela – was created within a short period of 15 months in spite of various challenges. He mentioned that this was only possible due to the determination of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to create the best stadium for Hockey in Rourkela, which is the heartland for hockey in Odisha. The Stadium has been praised by the entire Hockey World for its facilities and great ambience for the spectators and the players
The session by the School and Mass Education Department and the Sports and Youth Services Department focused on the topic “Create a New Odisha: Dreams of the Gen X”.
