Bhubaneswar: There is a lot of hullabaloo over Qatar spending more than $200 billion preparing for the FIFA World Cup by building roads, stadiums and hotels. But did you know how much Odisha is spending on organising FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup in the state for the second consecutive time from January 13 to 29, 2023?
According to Sports and Youth Services Minister Tusharkanti Behera, an outlay of Rs 1,098.4 crore has been made in the 2022-23 state budget for construction and development of hockey stadiums in Rourkela, Bhubaneswar and beautification of the two smart cities for the World Cup.
It is 16 times of what was spent for the 2018 edition of the international sporting extravaganza when a budget allocation of Rs 66.98 crore was made.
Replying to questions from opposition chief whip Mohan Charan Majhi and members Nityanand Gond and Kusum Tete in Odisha Assembly, Behera on Thursday said that Rs 525 crore against the outlay of Rs 1,098 crore has been sanctioned, while Rs 136.82 crore is being spent from District Mineral Foundation funds and another Rs 176.3 crore sourced from CSR and OSDF funds.
A chunk of funds, Rs 875.78 crore, is being invested on construction of Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela and for facelift of Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, the two venues for the quadrennial event.
>> Rs 84 crore being spent on construction of accommodation buildings
>> Rs 17.50 crore on synthetic turfs in Rourkela and Bhubaneswar stadiums
>> Rs 9.15 crore for construction of swimming pool at BPUT campus in Rourkela
>> Rs 13 crore for electrical works in Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium
>> Rs 13.39 crore for flood light and extension of the West Stand of the hockey stadium in Bhubaneswar
The government will also spend Rs 75 crore on venue management, accommodation, transportation and branding media publicity.
In 2018, Rs 25 crore was allocated as presenting partner rights fee to Hockey India while Rs 18.89 crore was spent on venue and event management in the previous World Cup. The remaining expenditure had been incurred on transportation, accommodation, media and publicity branding and others.
The minister further informed that the state government did not receive any central funds for organising World Cup in 2018.
