₹700 crore earmarked for development of sports

Minister for Industries, Sports and Youth Affairs E.P. Jayarajan has launched the work of the I.M. Vijayan Indoor Stadium and Sports Complex at Laloor, near here, on Tuesday.

Speaking after laying the foundation stone for the ambitious project, Mr. Jayarajan said a sum of ₹700 crore had been earmarked for development of sports infrastructure across the State since the LDF government assumed office.

Apart from 14 district stadiums, as many as 54 similar projects had been launched in municipalities and panchayats in the State, he said. These projects were drawn up with the larger goal of helping Kerala sports soar greater heights at the national and international arena, the Minister said.

The stadium, being developed in honour of eminent footballer I.M. Vijayan who hails from Thrissur, was planned as part of the government’s policy of developing sports infrastructure across the State.

Proposed in 2016-17

The project was proposed in the 2016-17 modified budget, as one of the schemes to be funded by Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). The project is coming up at the 14.07-acre land of Thrissur Corporation. It received administrative sanction of ₹70.56 crore and KIIFB gave nod for ₹56.01 crore.

Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar presided over the function. Education Minister Prof C. Ravindranath, C.N. Jayadevan MP, K. Rajan, MLA, Mayor Ajitha Vijayan, and Director, Sports and Youth Affairs, Sanjayan Kumar attended the function.

Mr. Vijayan was also present at the venue where eminent sportspersons from the area were honoured.

The Sports Complex will have synthetic turf, gallery, football ground, pavilion building, indoor stadium, swimming pool, tennis court, administration block, and rainwater harvesting facility.

KITCO Ltd will be constructing the stadium complex under the technical supervision of the Engineering Department of Sports and Youth Affairs.