In an effort to create conducive sports atmosphere in the district and to provide a platform for sportspersons to enhance their skills and to encourage the youth to engage in sports activities, a Futsal Playground funded under the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Fund was inaugurated today at Sohkymphor Village under Wapung C&RD Block by Meghalaya Cabinet Minister and Khliehriat Legislative Assembly Constituency MLA, Shri Kyrmen Shylla.
Also attending the inaugural function were Deputy Commissioner, East Jaintia Hills District, Shri Shivansh Awasthi, Deputy CEM of Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC), Shri Lasky Rymbai, Deputy Chairman, Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC), Shri Wailadameshwa Siangshai, traditional heads, teachers, students and people of the area.
Addressing the gathering, Cabinet Minister, Shri Kyrmen Shylla congratulated all the stakeholders for making the project a success emphasizing the importance of sports in today’s day and age and said that with the increase of negative trends in society in which many youths have fallen prey to social ills, various initiatives are being taken with the aim of encouraging the youth to participate in sports activities including football and others even as he stressed on the need of providing more sports infrastructures in the district which will open doors to the youths to engage in sport activities and which will also create a conducive atmosphere for aspiring sportspersons to improve their skills and talents.
Further, Shri Shylla also mentioned that the Artificial Turf Football Ground at Deinshynrum village has witnessed significant increase in the number of footfalls who utilize the facilities made available thereunder and expressed hope that the inauguration of the Futsal Ground at Sohkymphor Village will encourage emergence of more talented sports persons and will open doors to aspiring footballers of the area to further enhance their skills. He also said that more futsal playgrounds will be constructed in the district through DMF for the benefit of the youths of the district.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner, East Jaintia Hills District, Shri Shivansh Awasthi, in his address congratulated all the stakeholders involved with the project while also stating that the newly inaugurated Futsal Ground funded through DMF is expected to provide opportunities for local youth and generate income for the village authorities.
Shri Awasthi also emphasized the importance of maintaining the new infrastructure in order to ensure its longevity and effectiveness even as he urged the village committee managing the Futsal Ground to allocate some of the revenue generated from the ground for maintenance purposes in order to ensure that the asset continues to benefit the youth and the community.
Adding colour and fervour to the programme were cultural items performed by students and SHG members of the area.
Others who spoke during the programme were Deputy CEM of Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council, Shri Lasky Rymbai and Deputy Chairman, Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC), Shri Wailadameshwa Siangshai.
