Chief Minister Conrad Sangma today launched the Sports Scholarship Scheme at a function to felicitate Meghalaya’s medallists and coaches from the 2nd North East Olympic Games 2022.
The new scheme provides a monthly scholarship to athletes who secure a medal at regional or national competitions, apart from a one-time cash award. The idea of this scheme is to support the athletes and to invest in their different sporting needs. The NEOG athletes will be the first beneficiaries of this scheme.
Speaking at the function, the chief minister stressed on the need for the state to invest in sports infrastructure and build international standard arenas in order to push the athletes to greater heights. While informing that the refurbished JN Sports Indoor Stadium and PA Sangma Indoor Stadium will come up soon, he hoped that the athletes will get better platforms and opportunities to bring more laurels to the state and country in national and international competitions.
In all, 188 athletes and 54 coaches were honoured by the government. Volunteers were also felicitated for their efforts to make the Games an organisational success.
Sangma congratulated and thanked all the athletes who secured medals at the 2nd NEOG, where Meghalaya secured 36 gold medals, a 12-fold increase from the first edition in 2018. He also lauded the coaches and the sports associations for their hard work, dedication and assistance to the athletes.
