On Saturday, the Sports Ministry has approved six centres as the Khelo India Centre of Excellence (KISCE) and they will now be upgraded at a consolidated budget estimate of Rs 67.32 crore for FY 2020-21 and subsequent four years in an effort to identify and groom Olympic level talent.
The states of Assam, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya and Sikkim and Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, have been identified in the second leg.
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju took to Twitter and said, "6 more centres approved and amount sanctioned to be developed as Khelo India Center of Excellence."
The centres identified are:
1. Assam: States Sports Academy, Sarusajai - Rs 7.96 crore
2. Meghalaya: J N S Complex, Shillong, Meghalaya - Rs 8.39 crore
3. Daman & Diu: New Sports Complex Silvassa - Rs 8.05 crore
4. Madhya Pradesh: MP State Academy- Rs 19 crore
5. Maharashtra: Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi, Pune- Rs 16 crore
6. Sikkim: Paljor Stadium, Gangtok - Rs 7.91 crore
Speaking about the initiative, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju in an official statement said, "Creating centres of sporting excellence across the country is a step towards our vision of making India one of the top 10 countries in Olympics 2028. Unless we can provide world-class specialised training, we cannot expect athletes to excel at the Olympics.
"Each of these centers will provide world-class training in a specific sporting discipline and will become the main facility in the country where elite athletes of that sport will train. I am happy that each state has supported this initiative of the center with great positivity and enthusiasm," he added.
(With ANI inputs)
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