Chief minister Arjun Munda visits Khelgaon in Ranchi on Friday to assess preparations for the Games. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, Dec. 24: Chief minister Arjun Munda today did a first-hand assessment of the 34th National Games venue along with his administrative top brass and functionaries of Jharkhand Olympic Association (JOA), and reiterated that his government was fully committed to hold the sporting extravaganza in February.

The Indian Olympic Associations (IOA) has ratified the competition schedule from February 12 to February 26 sent by the National Games Organising Committee (NGOC) on December 22. Munda is chairman of the committee. NGOC organising secretary S.M. Hashmi said the IOA had ratified the competition schedule for 33 events to be held in Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad. The schedule has been forwarded to various state sports associations, he added.

After inspecting the main athletics stadium at the Mega Sports Complex in Hotwar with his deputy and sports minister Sudesh Mahto, the chief minister said: “We are determined to host the National Games from February 12. It is not the time to discuss loopholes in preparations, but to concentrate on how to plug them so that the Games can be held, and in the best possible manner.”

He has set a January 15 deadline for construction companies and vendors to complete stadium work and pending projects in Khelgaon.

“If the chief minister is serious, one can rest assured that every government wing will work in tandem to host the Games on time,” said a senior bureaucrat. “This time, there will be no half measures; the National Games will either be held from February 12 or won’t be held at all,” another bureaucrat was overheard saying.

Munda’s pointed queries showed that he had noticed the lacunae in preparations. For instance, at the main athletics stadium, he asked why rows of seats meant for spectators were missing and why the grass was not green. He also noticed a huge but bare frame. Sports secretary Sukhdev Singh said it was installed for the scoreboard, but had now been rendered useless because a smaller scoreboard would be used. The chief minister took strong exception to peeling paint at the stadium and recommended an immediate second coat.

Munda’s entourage first hit the Games village, which has over 1,200 flats. He did not appear satisfied and directed the company hired for the project, Nagarjuna Construction, to ready unfinished flats without wasting more time. His next stop was the main athletics stadium, followed by the VIP guesthouse and the Sheikh Bhikhari Indoor Stadium.

The chief minister and his deputy spent over an hour at the Mega Sports Complex. Chief secretary A.K. Singh, home secretary J.B. Tubid, sports secretary Sukhdev Singh, principal secretary to chief minister D.K. Tiwary, road construction secretary N.N. Sinha, agriculture secretary A.K. Singh, IG Rezi Dungdung, special secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni, director (sports) Amitabh Choudhary and Ranchi deputy commissioner K.K. Soan and senior superintendent of police Praveen Kumar — virtually, all heads that matter — were present.