Imphal, June 19: Thanks to the lethargic approach of the state authorities in Manipur, the much-cherished Rs 30-crore National Sports Academy Project announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seems to be making no progress. Singh had made the announcement for the academy to be set up at the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex, during his Manipur visit last November.

Through the Union ministry of youth affairs and sports, the Prime Minister?s Office (PMO) had enquired about the present position of the project report.

No preparatory paperwork has been taken up by the department concerned till date. Submission of the project report was thus out of the question, a source said.

Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh had issued strong instructions to the department to prepare the report without further delay.

The PMO had earlier indicated that it could ask for the project report any time this year.

Sports minister Govindas Konthoujam acknowledged the failure saying the public works department had been assigned the task of preparing the project report within this month.

Govindas also said the governor, the chief minister, PWD minister and the chief secretary had deliberated on the issue concerning the setting up of the academy.

He also said the Indian Olympic Association was being approached to allot at least one sports discipline to Manipur when India will host the Commonwealth Games.

Rockybul?s new term: Assam minister of state for home Rockybul Hussain has been retained as the president of the Nowgong Sports Association, adds a staff reporter from Guwahati. At a general meeting of the association in Nagaon today, Hussain and secretary Pradeep Kumar Hazarika was retained for another term of three years.