Mizoram state to have five new sports academies

Sports Minister Robert Royte revealed that the procedure to build the complex will begin soon.

Robert Romawia Royte, the Sports Minister of Mizoram, has announced that there will be five sports academies set up in different parts of the state. Addressing a general body meeting of Mizoram State Sports Council, Royte said all the required official procedure for setting up of these sports academies in the state and a district sports complex in Mamit town have been completed and constructions will start soon.

The cost of building the academies is being sponsored by the Central Government and the first instalment for the same has been released. "Looking at Mizoram's tally in the last Khelo India Youth Games, there is a lot to be done in order to reach the national and international level," Royte quoted via Press Trust of India.

The Government of India has shortlisted eight states for setting up Khelo India Sports Centre of Excellence (KISCE) and Mizoram is one of them. The Sports Minister said that efforts are on to materialise the project.

The central government, last month, announced that the Aizawl Sports Academy at Rajiv Gandhi Sports Complex at Mualpui, has been included among eight facilities in the country to be developed as a KISCE. The Mizo National Front-led government has granted industry status to sports for their development of in the state. He also revealed that the state government is planning to set up sports infrastructure through Externally Aided Projects (EAP). 

ALSO READ: Robert Royte: Mizoram to have record 16 FIFA quality artificial turf pitches

Last month, in an exclusive conversation with Khel Now, Robert Royte, who is also the President of I-League side Aizawl FC, announced that there will be 16 new FIFA-standard pitches constructed in Mizoram. “The aim is to make the stadiums accessible and available for all the sporting talents across the state and we are building these turfs in the rural areas. I, as a minister, have decided to make sure that the pitches are tested and each of them is of FIFA quality.”