Shillong, Sept 24: Meghalaya Sports and Youth Affairs Minister, Banteidor Lyngdoh on Friday announced that Meghalaya government has decided to give cash incentives to football clubs in the state to help them cope with the financial demands of running the club.
The aim of the government is to revive the football scene in the state, which has been on a decline after few years of success primarily led by the achievements of Shillong Lajong FC.
At the same time, the government wants to see that clubs don’t close down prematurely after investing in and training talented players.
Lyngdoh announced that cash incentive of Rs. 10 lakhs will be given to football cubs of the State qualifying for 2nd Division I-League, Rs. 40 Lakhs for those qualifying for I-League, and Rs. 1 crore for those qualifying for the Indian Super League.
He made the announcement at the send-off ceremony for the team members of Ryntih Sports and Cultural Club who are all set to participate in the Hero League Qualifiers, which will take place in Bangalore from October 4-25, 2021.
The Minister shared that the government has decided to give the funds upon understanding that many football clubs of the State have not been able to sustain themselves over the years due to financial constraints, and the problem was aggravated due to lack of government support.
The Minister also shared words of encouragement for the members of Ryntih Sports and Cultural Club and reiterated the importance of team spirit and a fighting spirit to achieve their goals.
Later, the Minister also handed over a cheque of Rs. 2 lakhs for the Ryntih Sports and Cultural Club, which will be followed by the remaining Rs. 8 lakhs in due course of time.
Govt working towards better sports infrastructure in state
The Minister informed that a tender amounting to Rs. 34 crore has been called for the up-gradation of the JN Sports Complex which will include replacing artificial with natural turf and state-of-the-art upgradation of the overall facilities within the complex.
An indoor multipurpose sports complex will also be constructed on the 5th ground costing about Rs. 100 crore. The Complex will house facilities like swimming pool, basketball, tennis courts and many other indoor games facilities.
Such initiatives will also be taken in different Districts so as to hone the skills of the youth of the State and give them a platform to showcase their prowess. Besides football, the Government is also dedicated to uplift and support disciplines like boxing, archery, athletics etc, which will go a long way in developing the sportspersons of the State.
