Orissa CM inaugurates Biju Patnaik swimming pool complex

Bhubaneswar, Mar 4 (UNI) Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today inaugurated Biju Patnaik swimming pool complex inside the Kalinga Satdium complex.

Speaking on the ocassion, the Chief Minister said the swimming complex would soon have a practice pool, diving pool, sitting capacity for 1000 people and an electronic scoreboard besides a fully computerised room.

Mr Patnaik also announced that soon the Sports Academy would function from inside the Stadium complex.

State Sports Minister Debashis Nayak said the stadium would be soon converted into a sports complex of international standard.

Set up at an estimated cost of Rs 2.72 crores, several international water games would be organised in this pool.

The 50X21 meters swimming pool has eight lanes for competition, ten lanes for training practices and an air-conditioned gymnasium.

The Chief Minister also gave the Biju Patnaik best sports personality of the year award to Indian women football team captain Sradhanjali Samantray, Biju Patnaik lifetime achievement award to international cyclist and Arjun awardees Minati Mohapatra, and best coach of the year to Arun Das besides best sports journalist award to Sushant Mohanty.

The Chief Minister also gave away the Biju Patnaik bravery award to Prabhati Behera.

UNI DP JYN DB2007