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Rs. 15 b for mega sports project in Hambantota
View(s):Lanka to host Asian Youth Games in 2017
The Government will spend Rs. 15 billion to turn Hambantota into a “sports city” and make it the venue for an Asian youth sports festival in 2017. Ministers at their weekly cabinet meeting on Thursday approved a cabinet memorandum submitted by Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage in this regard.
Mr. Aluthgamage told his ministerial colleagues that the Asian Olympics Committee had officially agreed that Sri Lanka could host the 2017 event in Hambantota. He noted that the event was in keeping with Mahinda Chinthana Idiri Dekma (or Mahinda’s Future Vision), which pledged to make Sri Lanka an international venue for sporting festivals in view of the country’s climate.
Minister Aluthgamage has said in his memorandum that Rs. 15 billion is needed to improve infrastructure facilities including electricity, road, water, communications, lodging and other needs in the Hambantota town which he says is fast developing. He has said more than 5,000 sportspersons and officials would come to Sri Lanka for the sporting event.
Government sources said the Mattala International Airport will also be operational when the Asian Youth Games are held. According to the Sports Minister’s memorandum, the first Asian Youth Games were held in Singapore and had been attended by 1321 sportspersons. They had taken part in 90 events.
The second Games will be held in the Chinese city of Nanjing in August this year and 45 Asian countries (including Sri Lanka) will be taking part in 118 events.
Earlier, Sri Lanka failed to win a bid to host the Commonwealth Games in Hambantota in 2018. The campaign for this bid cost several million rupees.
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