Kerala mulls global sporting facilities

Malappuram, Aug 25 (UNI) With a view to spotting and train young talents, the Kerala Government was planning to set up a sports complex of international standards here, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister M Vijayakumar said today.

A football academy at soccer-friendly district would be part of the ambitious project to be set up in association with the Sports Authority of India (SAI), he said at a meeting of people's representatives on development of sports here yesterday.

A 45-acre plot near Palakkad Trade Centre had been identified for the complex, he said and expressed the hope that the work on the project would start soon.

The government was also planning to construct a sports school with sophisticated equipments on the line of G V Raja Sports School, he said adding that the government had earmarked Rs 18 crore for the school project at Vandoor in the district.

He said the government had prepared a blue print for the overall sports development in Kerala. Eligible talents would be spotted and imparted training to make them competent to represent the country in the Olympics in five years.

Mr Vijayakumar said the government had sought Central allocation for sports development in the state adding that a memorandum to this effect had been submitted to the Centre.

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