Bhubaneswar: In a major move to strengthen grassroots sports infrastructure, the Odisha Cabinet has approved a new project for construction of stadiums in all the 314 blocks of the state.
This transformative initiative, approved at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday, highlights the government’s dedication to fostering a robust sports ecosystem while promoting health and wellness across the state.
The project aims to address critical gaps in rural sports infrastructure, particularly at the block level, where facilities remain underdeveloped. These disparities have long impeded the state’s vision for rapid sports growth, the Chief Minister told reporters on Saturday.
Recognising the urgency of closing this gap, the government has outlined several key objectives, including providing enhanced opportunities for athletes, nurturing local talent, and organising more grassroots sports competitions. The focus will be on core sports disciplines where Odisha shows significant promise.
Beyond fostering competitive sports, these facilities will encourage rural youth to participate in physical activities, supporting their overall development and long-term mental and physical well-being.
Odisha, recognised as a rising sports hub in India, is committed to cultivating a vibrant sports culture. The construction of block level stadiums marks a significant stride toward achieving this vision. By providing state-of-the-art facilities at the grassroots level, the project will not only serve as a pipeline for nurturing high- performance athletes but will also inspire citizens to adopt sports as a lifestyle.
Each Block Level Stadium will be developed on 8-10 acres of land and will have the components like football/ cricket field, clay athletic track with throw and jump area, volleyball/ kho kho/ kabaddi courts, indoor halls for badminton, table tennis etc.), common facility centre etc.
The Cabinet has approved an outlay of Rs 4,124 crore over a period of five years for construction of the block level stadiums in a phased manner, officials said.
