PANAJI: The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat informed the House on Wednesday that the National Games slated to be held in Goa in 2011, may now be postponed by another two years, which would give the state government extra time to raise the infrastructure needed for the grand sporting event.

Stating that the National Games scheduled to be held in Jharkhand in 2007 and in Kerala in 2009 were never held in these states, the Chief Minister maintained that Jharkhand may leave its claim on the National Games due to the infrastructural problems, while Kerala would host the event in 2011.

"This makes Goa the host of National Games 2013," he added. The Chief Minister also informed the House during the Question Hour that the state government had submitted an estimate of `500 crore to the Planning Commission for funds, for the National Games to be held in Goa.

"However, it was reduced to ` 326 crore, with the 75 per cent amount that is around
` 244 crore to be provided by the Planning Commission in the form of grants, while the state government requiring to spend the rest 25 per cent amount," he revealed, pointing out that the Planning Commission, in the past had never given such grants to any state for a sports event.

Speaking further, he said that a central team had already visited the state in connection with the National Games scheduled in Goa, and made a number of suggestions, including up-gradation of Goa College of Engineering and Goa University campuses, so as to locate some infrastructure for utilising it during the mega sporting event.

Replying to a question from the leader of the opposition, Mr Manohar Parrikar as to what would the government do if the private parties refuse to participate in the public-private partnership projects conceptualised for the National Games in Goa, Mr Kamat stated that the government would examine the response of the private parties only after the detailed project reports are prepared.

Earlier, Mr Parrikar said that various PPP projects were linked to the National Games like convention cum exhibition centre, multipurpose stadium, shopping mall and multiplex, service hotel, amusement park, budget hotel, bowling alley and gaming arcade, and training academies for various sports, but some of these projects such as budget hotel might not find participation of private parties as the proposed 300-room hotel would be redundant in a place like Dhargal, after the end of the sporting event.

"Have you worked out the feasibility and economics of these PPP projects," he questioned.

The Sports Minister, Mr Manohar Azgaonkar informed the House that till date the government has spent an amount of ` 1.70 crore on the detailed project reports for the national Games, besides some ` 3 crore given to the Economic Development Corporation for land acquisition.

"The exact cost of the Sports City project will be worked out by the technical consultant to be appointed shortly," he told the House, adding "However, the central team has worked out the cost of infrastructure of the Sports City and allied facilities as `138.5 crore and PPP projects as `483.28 crore, at Dhargal alone."

Taking a dig at the Sports Minister, the Mandrem MLA, Mr Laxmikant Parsenkar demanded to know what type of sports facilities were boundary wall and gate building, as mentioned in the list of facilities including athletics stadium, hockey stadium, equestrian stadium, archery range, rifle shooting range and so on.

It was also informed that in phase one, as per the recommendation of the central team, existing stadiums at Pednem, Colvale, Pedem, Nerul, Campal, Caranzalem, Goa University, Ponda, Fatorda and Shiroda would be improved upon.