Meghalaya increases sports budget to Rs 840 crore

The Meghalaya government is significantly expanding its investment in sports, increasing the state sports budget from approximately Rs 40 crore in 2018 to over Rs 840 crore.

Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Wailadmiki Shylla announced that a High-Performance Sports Science Centre will be established at the J. N. Stadium Complex in Polo Ground, with an inauguration scheduled for September. The centre aims to identify and nurture local sporting talent.

To support athletes, the state has substantially increased cash rewards for National Games medalists. Gold medal rewards have risen from Rs 7,500 to Rs 2 lakh, silver from Rs 5,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh, and bronze from Rs 3,000 to Rs 1 lakh. Additionally, medalists from the South Asian Games, Asian Games, and Olympics may be eligible for direct government appointments under the Meghalaya Outstanding Sportsperson Direct Appointment Policy.

Other planned initiatives include the establishment of 125 grassroots football centres and requests for special health insurance provisions for sportspersons under the Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme to cover training-related injuries.