SHILLONG: The Meghalaya government has unveiled a grand plan to invest close to Rs 1,900 crore in the next three years on sports development and the 39th National Games in 2027.
Tabling the 2025-26 budget in the Assembly on Wednesday, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma pointed to Meghalaya's success in being awarded the National Games hosting rights, withstood competition from the bigger states of Chhattisgarh and Assam. He attributed the state's perseverance and readiness as the turning point that ensured Meghalaya bagged the bid.
As a part of this investment, Sangma announced that the newly launched Meghalaya Sports Action Plan would prioritize enhancing access to sports infrastructure, which will be the biggest part of the ₹1,900 crore spending.
Most of the budget will be spent on the Rs 732 crore Mawkhanu Football Complex, a 40,000-seater stadium to be built in the forthcoming financial year. The CM insisted that the stadium would be the fulcrum of Meghalaya's plan to be the "Football Capital of India."
Moreover, the government is also investing in grassroots sports infrastructure, such as 25 new artificial turfs and 140 grassroots centers. It will also give grants to local clubs, organize big sporting events, and work on fan engagement. The CM's Football Mission, which was initiated recently, will also complement these efforts, with a budget of Rs 10 crore.
Sangma also gave an update on some of the significant running projects and said that major sports facilities like JN Stadium, PA Sangma Sports Complex, Ampati Stadium, and Jongksha Indoor Stadium would be ready soon. For these and other new projects to proceed without any hassle, the government has budgeted Rs 236 crore for 2025-26.
In a key policy move, the government has launched the Meghalaya Outstanding Sportspersons Direct Appointment Policy, assuring government employment to medal-winning sportspersons at national and international levels in sports recognized by the IOC.
Enumerating his vision for youth development, the CM also emphasized the position of the Meghalaya Games in nurturing sporting excellence and cross-cultural interaction between young sportspeople. He further declared an expansion of the Chief Minister's Youth Exchange Programme that will facilitate 30,000 talented young people to go on exposure visits to different parts of India and even abroad. ₹10 crore have been set apart by the government for this.
Sangma also mentioned that since 2018, Rs 1,500 crore has been allocated for state funds in the development of sports infrastructure, a huge increase from the Rs 100 crore incurred from 2001 to 2018.
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