Shillong June 27: The Central government has no proposal for establishing a sports college or campus of the National Sports University in each state of the North Eastern Region.
This was informed by Union Minister (independent charge) for Sports and Youth Affairs, Kiren Rijiju while replying to questions raised by Shillong Lok Sabha MP, Vincent H. Pala in Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Pala sought to know from the Union Minister the status of the National Sports University in Manipur as on date, and the amount allocated and spent for the same till date.
He also sought to know whether every North Eastern state would be provided with a college or campus of the sports university, and the number of students enrolled every year in some programmes and courses offered by the university.
Pala also inquired about a quota on the number of seats allotted for every state in the university.
Rijiju in his reply said, “At present, no proposal is under consideration for providing a college or campus of the National Sports University in each North Eastern state.”
Rijiju informed that the M/s Hindustan Steel Construction Works Ltd has been engaged as project management consultant and it has been decided to engage TATA Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) for academic and professional consultancy and the construction has also started.
He also informed one post-graduate and two under-graduate programmes have been started in the university.
“A sum of Rs. 50 crore has been sanctioned for pre-investment activities for the university, out of which, Rs. 31.10 crore has been released so far,†he said.
Rijiju said that the number of students enrolled for programmes – bachelor of physical education and sports (BPES) was 14 in 2017-18 and 35 in 2018-19, and for B.Sc. (sports coaching), 12 students were enrolled in 2017-18 and 36 in 2018-19. There are also 4 students enrolled for M.A. (sports psychology).
He however informed that state-wise quota/seat is not allotted.
The National Sports University is being established in Manipur after the National Sports University Act, 2018 was passed in Parliament during the monsoon session on August 17 last year.