Guwahati (Assam) [India], August 17 (HBTV): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday inaugurated the permanent site of the Assam Cricket Association's Cricket Academy and the Guwahati Town Club's Football Academy at Fulung in North Guwahati.

The campus of the Assam Cricket Association's Cricket Academy has been equipped with 10 practice wickets, a cricket ground with five centre wickets, one of the largest indoor cricket halls in the country with 10 wickets, residential facilities for players, and provisions for technical directors, coaches, and other staff.

Preparations are also underway to build sports infrastructure in Chandrapur to support Assam's aim of hosting the National Games. An Olympic-standard swimming pool is being constructed next to the badminton stadium in Amingaon, and around 100 stadiums are currently under construction across the state.

The Guwahati Town Club's Football Academy has been provided with two football grounds, a 60-bed hostel, and a football pavilion, with future plans to include indoor games facilities. Both academies will provide training under the guidance of coaches of international standards.

Speaking at the event, Sarma said that through these two academies, major sporting infrastructure for football and cricket has been created to support and encourage budding sportspersons.

He added that with systematic training, guidance from national and international coaches, and regular monitoring, positive results could be expected, fulfilling the purpose of establishing the academies.

The Chief Minister pointed out that until 2003-04, Assam had no advanced sports infrastructure apart from the Nehru Stadium in Guwahati and another stadium in Jorhat. At present, however, the state has developed facilities beyond immediate need. Referring to projects undertaken during and after the National Games, he highlighted the cricket stadium at Barsapara built with BCCI support, the construction of a stadium at Amingaon, and plans to reconstruct the Nehru Stadium into a FIFA-standard football stadium at an estimated cost of INR 700 crore.

He further mentioned that a stadium larger than Sarusajai and the biggest in Assam is under construction at Dibrugarh, while a football stadium and another stadium are being built in Kokrajhar and Jorhat at an expenditure of INR 160 crore and INR 200 crore respectively.

Sarma said that in the next two to three years, several large companies are expected to set up operations in Assam and have shown interest in sponsoring sports infrastructure, particularly academies. Referring to the three training and rehabilitation centres established at Jorhat, Guwahati, and Kokrajhar in collaboration with Abhinav Futuristics Pvt. Ltd., he added that Abhinav Bindra himself had observed that these facilities are among the best in the country, though he expressed concern that the centre at Sarusajai has not been adequately utilised.

The Chief Minister emphasised that effective utilisation of existing facilities could enable Assam to produce quality sportspersons and enhance its achievements in the field of sports. He noted that, relative to the scale of infrastructure developed, the emergence of good players has been limited, and stressed that the central focus must remain on the development of athletes.

Over the past five years, Assam has witnessed notable successes through Hima, Lovlina, and Nayanmoni, but Sarma said the state possesses the capacity to attain a higher level of accomplishment.

The Chief Minister also interacted with players of the Football Academy and participated in a game of cricket.

(ANI)