VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has urged the Centre to extend support to the State for setting up a world-class badminton training centre in Amaravati.
On the second day of his visit to Delhi on Wednesday, Naidu met Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya. He discussed key projects and infrastructure needed to boost sports development in the State. He highlighted the opportunity to establish a National Water Sports Training Hub in Amaravati, and explained the potential for setting up water sports training centres on the banks of the Krishna river. He informed the Union Minister that the State had already submitted multiple proposals related to sports infrastructure development projects. Proposals have been made to set up National Centres of Excellence at Nagarjuna University and in Kakinada. Sports infrastructure projects taken up in Tirupati, Rajamahendravaram, Kakinada and Narasaraopet under the Khelo India scheme should be completed as per schedule, he said.
The Chief Minister sought Rs 27 crore for upgrading the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Vijayawada, Rs 170 crore for a multi-sports complex at BR Stadium in Guntur, and Rs 341 crore for the overall sports development across various regions of the State.
He also stressed the need for sanctioning additional Khelo India Centres to identify young sports talent at the district level. He proposed that the Centre consider setting up of a Sports Authority of India training centre in Tirupati.
Under the Andhra Pradesh Sports Policy 2024-29, he said the government had initiated steps to build a comprehensive sports ecosystem.