Chhattisgarh to boost sports infra, build archery academies in Raipur and Jashpur: CM Vishnu Deo Sai

RAIPUR

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Saturday stated that the state government will provide all necessary resources and opportunities to nurture local sports talent, announcing major infrastructure projects including two archery academies and a dedicated coordination setup for sports administration.

Addressing the Executive Body and General Council meeting of the Chhattisgarh Olympic Association at the New Circuit House in Civil Lines, Chief Minister Sai highlighted the presence of untapped athletic talent in rural and tribal regions. He emphasized that the administration remains focused on expanding infrastructure and preparing players for national and international competitions.

Chief Minister Sai instructed senior officials to speed up initiatives linking sports associations with industrial groups in the state. Drawing from his experience as a Union Minister, he noted that corporate collaboration would generate additional resources for training, equipment, and facility management. To streamline administrative processes, he announced that a senior official from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat will be assigned to handle coordination between the state government and the Chhattisgarh Olympic Association.

Outlining ongoing projects, the Chief Minister shared that sports complexes are currently being constructed in Raipur, Raigarh, and Kunkuri. A state-of-the-art archery academy is being built in Raipur at an estimated cost of ₹60 crore. Furthermore, an archery academy costing ₹20 crore to ₹25 crore will be established at Pandrapat in Jashpur district to train youth from tribal areas, particularly the Pahadi Korwa community.

Chief Minister Sai stated that annual events like the Bastar Olympic and Sarguja Olympic provide platforms for youth in remote areas, aiding talent identification under the Khel Utkarsh Mission. He added that the state government will actively bid to host the 40th National Games and explore conducting select events in Bastar to showcase regional progress.

Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap noted that budgetary allocations for sports infrastructure have been increased, pointing out the potential for archery and mallakhamb in forest regions. Member of Parliament Vijay Baghel commended the state government’s decision to resume sports awards and offer government employment opportunities to outstanding athletes.

During the meeting, Chhattisgarh Olympic Association General Secretary Dr. Vikram Sisodia presented the activity report and financial statements. The committee agreed to form a panel to establish District Olympic Associations in remaining districts and discussed event preparations for Olympic Day on 23 June.

Vice Presidents Vijay Baghel, Dr. Himanshu Dwivedi, Sharad Shukla, Ramesh Kumar Srivastava, Sunil Kumar Agarwal, and other association representatives attended the meeting.