Ranchi, July 16: Sports lovers, take heart! Chief minister Arjun Munda today announced that work on the mega sport complex near Pithoria on the outskirts of the capital would begin soon.

While releasing the sports calendar for 2003-04 at the Project Building, Munda said his government was committed to completing the complex spread across 150 acres of government land. Minister of state Sudarshan Bhagat said no new tender would be floated for the construction of the complex.

In the first phase, work will start with Rs 45 crore, already sanctioned by the government, director (sports) Amitabh Choudhary said. He said work can start on the chosen site without any hindrance as the land was gair-majurwa (government land).

Today’s development will have a bearing on the state’s claim to host the 2007 National Games.

On July 7, The Telegraph had reported that the plan was underway without any proposal to invite fresh tenders for the project.

The sports calendar gives the dates and venue of events like kabaddi, cricket, football, volleyball, hockey, archery, lawn tennis, wrestling, table tennis, gymnastics, basketball, kho-kho and handball for boys and girls of different age groups. These tournaments will be organised at the district, division and the state level.

Subroto Cup football tournament for under-17 boys will be the first tournament of the season.

-The district level tournament will start on

July 21, division level on August 4 and the state level from August 28.

By November 29 all tournaments will conclude.

Similarly, the rural games will start with archery meet for boys and

girls at the block level from October 10 and the district level from

October 16. Weightlifting, football, kho-kho, kabaddi, wrestling (boys

only), athletics, and hockey have been chosen for rural games.

EoM

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