Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamta Banerjee has announced a grant of Rs. 20 crores to the international hockey stadium that is under construction inside the famous Salt Lake Stadium Complex of Kolkata. The Chief Minister announced the grant for the hockey acro-turf during the state’s annual sportsperson felicitation programme on February 8.
Earlier in January, West Bengal’s Sports Minister, Aroop Biswas confirmed the construction of an acro-turf stadium. The stadium is to be built in an area over three acres at an estimated cost of Rs. 20.53 crorse with an accommodation of 6500 spectators.
In the same felicitation programme, the Chief Minister also announced a pension scheme of Rs. 1,000 for the former sportspersons of the state. Banerjee stated, “We have about 2000-plus ex-players who are above 60 years. As a gratitude, I want to announce a state pension scheme for them.” She further added by saying that the state government will now sponsor about 100 athletes for training.
Banerjee additionally introduced a grant of Rs.1 lakh to 26000 football clubs and 861 coaching camps to boast sporting environment in West Bengal. She also spoke about four sporting academies in Khardah for soccer, the archery facility in Jhargram, Kolkata, and the tennis and desk tennis academies in Salt Lake. Banerjee infrastructure for swimming is going to be improved in West Bengal.
While commenting about the academies in the state, the Chief Minister stated that her government has spent about Rs. 400 crores in improving academies. Banerjee said, “To persevere the precedence for sports activities, we’ve constructed 17 youth residential academies, 34 stadiums, 703 mini indoor stadiums, six swimming swimming pools, 4000-plus multi gymnasium and in addition developed greater than 400 grounds.”