Minister for Sports, Skill Development and Youth Services Kollu Ravindra has said the State government is according top priority to the promotion of sports in the State.
The Minister held a review meeting with officials from Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts, on the development of playgrounds and sports facilities, at the Government Circuit House here on Saturday.
Mr. Ravindra asked the engineering officials on the reasons for the delay and told them that he was prepared to take up with the departments concerned, if there were any problems in the acquisition of land for playgrounds or construction of sports complexes.
NREGS works
The plan was to develop sports stadia in all the 175 Assembly constituencies in the State. The playgrounds, which were being developed under NREGS convergence works, should be hastened. He sought completion of all works by December-end by formulating a special action plan.
District Sports Development Officer of Visakhapatnam June Gallyot said ₹2 crore was sanctioned for construction of outdoor and indoor stadia under NTR Kreeda Vikasa Kendra (KVK) scheme in the district. She said two KVKs were constructed at Kommadi and Elamanchili.
Ms. June Gallyot said the Centre had sanctioned ₹7 crore for provision of basic sports amenities. The funds were being utilised for construction of a special training centre and provision of synthetic athletic track at Kommadi and for construction of an integrated sports complex at Aganampudi. A Yachting Centre would be developed at Rushikonda. She said that playgrounds would be developed at all the 43 Zilla Parishad High Schools in the district in a phased manner.
