IMPHAL, Dec 10: Reacting to reports about squandering of funds meant for the development of the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex, the director Youth Affairs and Sports has issued a clarification.
The official clarification said according to the report of the 13 Finance Commission, Rs 100 crore was awarded for upgradation and renovation of the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex.
In the Memorandum to the 13 FC, provision for upgrading the Main Stadium, Hockey Stadium, Renovation of Cycle velodrome, upgrading aquatic complex, upgrading the Main Indoor Hall, improvement of Kangshang, internal roads, special repair of wall, electrification, and pavilion for the practice fields amounting to a total of Rs. 75.00 crore and another Rs. 25.00 crore for a Corpus Fund for maintenance of KLSC was indeed proposed by the department, it said.
However the proposal for Corpus Fund or in its place stipend/scholarship to outstanding sportspersons had all been rejected, it clarified. Even proposal for procurement of sports equipments from the 13 FC award had been rejected, it added.
Both the items were dropped in the revised DPR as these are considered cost ineffective, it said.
The statement said the prevailing power situation of the State is very poor and the requirement of about 25 MW for a flood lit match is unrealistic when vied against the available power supply.
It further said the number of matches which are attended by more than 20,000 spectators are very rare and few and hence high investment for increasing the capacity was dropped.
State government felt that facilities for the players need to be augmented to train and compete at national and international level rather than of spectators at this juncture, it said.
It may be mentioned that any changes in the DPR was first approved by the State Level High Committee, which is then submitted to the Ministry of YAS and only after their approval, would the fund be released, it continued.
The statement further clarified that works for renovation and upgradation of the hockey stadium is still under progress and some minor damage on the synthetic surface had been rectified which has no impact on the use of the surface.
The YAS director has further clarified with regards to iron goal post allegation, this has been fixed for practice purpose and the fibre goal posts are yet to arrive and once the posts arrive, it will be fixed immediately.
It further said the selection of the PIA for up-gradation of Khuman Lampak Sports Complex was taken in January, 2011 and the State PWD was requested on October 28, 2010 to indicate its willingness to prepare the DPR and execute the works, however, there was no response.
Therefore the works for the floodlighting of the two stadiums was given to the Power department and the remaining works to MDS.
It said since the establishment of MDS, the chief secretary has been its chairman and only in July 2013, on the basis of a decision of the General Body of the MDS, the Chief Minister was made chairman. But, since MDS was not a constitutional body or established through legislation, the chairmanship of the society has again reverted back to the chief secretary in September, 2014, it continued.
Earlier, KLSC was an open complex. However, after a series of incidents where visitors were found using illegal substances and some even in compromising positions, it was decided to restrict entry to one and all. The Main gate is opened during national level competition and important events, it said.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/12/yas-refutes-fund-squandering-allegations-in-sports-complex-renovation/