PM promises sports university for Manipur

Imphal, December 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday said a sports university will be opened in Manipur. The prime minister, speaking at the concluding function of the Manipur Sangai festival, said sports was the fulcrum of tremendous economic activity and several allied disciplines such as nutrition and physiotherapy could boost employment prospects for the youth of Manipur.

"We decided that there will be a sports university in Manipur. Manipur has a big contribution in making India proud on the world stage," Modi said. "Sports is in the DNA in this land. There is sports and sportsman spirit both in Manipur," he said, also making an impassioned plea to free the youth of the state from the menace of drugs. "I feel very sad when I hear that youth are taking to drugs. It is up to us, our future generations can't be ruined. This path is harmful," Modi said.

"The youth of this state, that has the potential to inspire the entire nation through excellence in sports, should not fall prey to drugs." The government has already asked the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) to asses the level of drug abuse in the state. The prime minister also said that youth from Manipur will be recruited in Delhi Police. "Youth from northeast would be recruited in Delhi Police. World should know how youth from northeast can police Delhi."

The prime minister also referred to the requests made by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh for improving infrastructure such as roads and hospitals, and said he was happy that the chief minister looked to the central government for delivering infrastructure. "The chief minister was talking about a lot of issues. I was feeling very happy. At least the chief minister is confident that this government will do something," Modi said.

He said Rs.60,000 crore had been earmarked in the union budget this year for infrastructure in the northeast, and added that he would look into each request and see what could be done about them. The prime minister is on a three-day tour of the northeastern states which began Saturday.

IANS