SHILLONG, APR 29: The Meghalaya government will roll out a 72-75% subsidy scheme for boutique hotels in Tura and Jowai to plug accommodation gaps for next year’s National Games, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Wailadmiki Shylla said on Wednesday, asserting the state will host the event successfully and its athletes will deliver strong performances.

Shylla was briefing media after the first meeting of the governing body of the National Games Secretariat Society.

“Actually today is the first meeting of the governing body of the National Games Secretariat Society after its formation and after it got the approval from the cabinet,” he said. “All the members of the different departments were present. We have taken up few agendas.”

The minister said the society will induct more departments to streamline coordination.

“Therefore, we have taken a decision that more members will be included so that it will be easy for us to coordinate because as you all know Meghalaya Games is not only for sports as the whole state machinery will be involved.”

Shylla said a review chaired by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma found venue work on track but flagged room shortages outside Shillong. “We have mapped the accomodation in our state which we feel that Shillong we have the numbers but right at the moment, we have shortage in Tura and Jowai, which we also have a plan for that,” he said.

To avoid building assets that become hard to maintain later, the government is leaning on tourism incentives. “We already given the scheme from tourism for (setting up of) boutique hotels, where almost 72-75% subsidy will be given from the government as we do not want to create any more infrastructure as you know if we continue to build infrastructre, it will be very challenging for us to maintain it after the National Games,” Shylla said.

He added: “That is why we take this opportunity to also promote tourism at the same time and we give opportunity to locals, who wants to set up these boutique hotels but we have given them a set of guidelines where we can put our athletes or technical persons in the coming days.”

The minister said Meghalaya is not waiting on the Centre to move ahead. “We are not taking anything for granted, so we are fully prepared and that is why you have seen that we have not waited for the sanctioning from the Central government, we are going all out with the state fund for any kind of construction and for any kind of needs for the National Games,” he said.

He noted that feedback from the Union Sports Ministry has been encouraging. “Few months ago, the secretary of union sports ministry came here and took a review meeting and he had visited the sites and he was also quite happy… Overall, I could say that the preparation is going on well.”

Shylla stressed that hosting alone is not the goal. “Definitely as what we really desire is not just to host this games. We also want our athletes and players to perform well,” he said.

He pointed to the Meghalaya Outstanding Direct Appointment Policy as a key motivator. “From next year onwards, whoever brings medal from the National Games, they will get a government job. It is a huge encouragement for the athletes and players and their parents for their support.”

The department has also decentralized funding, releasing Rs 39 crore last year for team preparation. “Because of these initiatives I would say that is why in the recently concluded India Khelo Games, the performance of Meghalaya was tremendous. Last year, Meghalaya’s rank in the India Khelo Tribal Games was 29 but this year, we finished at 13 rank,” Shylla said.

“We will continue to work hard and we will continue to support the athletes and I am sure next year, we will end at top 5 and hopefully we will be on the top.”

He expressed confidence in smooth delivery of the Games. “I am quite sure and I am quite confident that with the kind of support we are getting from the chief minister and other departments, we will be able to run this National Games smoothly and make it a rememrable one.”

“Because of all these initiatives and efforts, the results you can see and with all this, I am confident it is not only that we are able to host the National Games but we will also be able to perform well.”

Asked about completion timelines, Shylla said, “We cannot give exact deadline to all projects because there are projects which have started long time back and there projects which have just started.”

The National Games are slated to be held in Meghalaya in 2027 across multiple districts.