New Delhi/Imphal, Oct 15 (IANS) Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Jyotiraditya Scindia, on Wednesday, called for a focused and practical start to strengthen sports in the Northeast region, proposing distinct approaches.

Emphasising that success depends more on soft skills like coaching and talent scouting than on infrastructure alone, Scindia called for committed coaches, grassroots talent identification, and the creation of local leagues and academies. The Union Minister Scindia and Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Wednesday co-chaired the 2nd High-Level Task Force Meeting on the Promotion of Sports in the North-Eastern Region through video conferencing.

To strengthen the sports ecosystem in the Northeastern region, issues like infrastructure development, coaching, talent identification, competition exposure and events, sports science, funding, monitoring, data governance, and management through both public and private sector participation were discussed.

Governor Bhalla complemented the Minister’s vision, stating that the initiatives will help strengthen sports in the Northeast by focusing on training, talent development, and local leagues, which will provide young players with more opportunities.

He also added that each state should build on its unique strengths. The Governor further appreciated the Central government’s continued efforts and commitment towards promoting sports infrastructure and nurturing talent across the Northeastern region.

Participating in the virtual meeting, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Raksha Nikhil Khadse, reaffirmed the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to supporting and advancing the development of sports in the Northeastern region. She emphasised the government’s commitment to nurturing talent at the grassroots level and ensuring that young athletes from the region receive the necessary infrastructure, training, and exposure to excel at national and international platforms.

Mizoram Sports Minister, Chief Secretaries of Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram, Commissioners and senior officials from the North Eastern Council (NEC), Ministry of DoNER, and state sports departments also participated in the meeting virtually.

Meanwhile, several High Level Task Forces were constituted by the DoNER Ministry to identify key interventions and formulate actionable short-term, medium-term, and long-term strategies for the integrated development of the North East Economic Corridor and other vital sectors, including tourism, sports and education.

The high-level Task Forces were constituted following the 72nd plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) held in November last year in Agartala, Tripura. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is the chairman of the NEC, had chaired the NEC plenary session.

--IANS

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