Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse on Friday chaired a high-level review meeting with the Meghalaya government to evaluate ongoing sports and youth development initiatives in the state.
The meeting, attended by Meghalaya Sports Minister Wailadmiki Shylla, senior state officials, representatives from the Sports Authority of India and the Meghalaya State Olympic Association, focused on strengthening grassroots sports infrastructure, athlete development and youth engagement programmes across the state.
Officials highlighted that nearly 900 athletes are currently receiving support under the State Sports Scholarship Scheme, while Meghalaya’s flagship Chief Minister’s Football Mission is nurturing close to 10,000 young footballers through 125 grassroots centres inspired by South American development models.
Discussions also reviewed the progress of major infrastructure projects, including the Mawkhanu Football Stadium, the Umsawli Sports Complex and the Slalom Course at Umtham, which is emerging as a premier destination for water sports training in India.
Khadse stressed the need to strengthen grassroots sports ecosystems and improve coordination between Central and State initiatives to maximise impact. She also underlined the importance of expanding Khelo India-accredited academies and creating stronger athlete development pathways for emerging sportspersons.
The review additionally covered Meghalaya’s youth-centric initiatives, including the Youth Engagement and Empowerment Scheme for Students (YESS Meghalaya), as well as the role of MY Bharat in promoting volunteer participation during upcoming sporting events such as the National Games.
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