Sarusajai To Be Upgraded As Khelo India Centre Of Excellence

The Union Sports Ministry has approved six centres as the Khelo India Centre of Excellence (KISCE) including three centres in Assam, Meghalaya and Sikkim which will be upgraded at a consolidated budget estimate of Rs 67.32 crore for 2020-21 and subsequent four years in an effort to identify and groom Olympic level talent.

The centre in State Sports Academy in Guwahati's Sarusajai will be allocated Rs 7.96, while, financial support of rupees 8.39 crores will be extended to JNS Complex in Shillong and Rs. 7.91 crore in Paljor Stadium of Gangtok.

The other centres have been identified in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Daman and Diu.

The Sports Ministry is upgrading existing sporting infrastructure in each State and Union Territory, in partnership with the state and UT, and creating KISCEs with the aim of creating a robust sporting ecosystem in the entire country. Each KISCE will be extended with sports-specific support in 14 Olympic sports, out of which one state or UT will be given support for a maximum of three sports, an official release stated.

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju 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."