Aizawl, November 14: Over the past 45, the North Eastern Council (NEC) has ushered in an era of new hope in the entire North Eastern Region, covering all eight states, with its concerted efforts. As a result, the states in the region have improved socially and economically since NEC’s inception way back in 1971. 

Though the NEC headquartered at Shillong (Meghalaya) has, more or less, removed most basic handicaps, a lot remains to be done to tap the sporting potentialities from the region, especially when the Union Sports Ministry has set in motion its Mission Olympic Cell, a pet programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for specialized training of sportspersons. 

Among the several scehmes, the NEC’s one-time assistance of Rs. 10 lakh to conduct a national-level sport event has given a shot in the arm to the organizers as is the case with the Mizoram Table Tennis Association (MTTA), which is hosting the National Ranking (East Zone) Table Tennis Championships here. 

With table tennis on its priority list, the state government had no hesitation in funding the championships thanks to an enterprising Sports Minister Zodintluanga, who is also the chairman of the organizing committee. An avid paddler himself during his school and college days at Shillong, Zodintluanga has trained under Korean coaches. 

When the MTTA approached him for help for the ongoing tournament, the sports minister—he is also the senior vice-president of the Mizoram Olympic Association—readily agreed. So much so, he put in words with some of the government departments which have come forward to help funding the organization of this tournament.

“It was the minister’s initiative which helped the state have a new multipurpose hall to pursue various disciplines. He has also helped all Olympic disciplines benefit from NEC schemes towards infrastructure and annual funding though the state sports council,” said Basanta Meisnam, vice-president of MTTA.

“The entire funding of training team members’ preparations for the national championships and organizing local meets are regularly undertaken by the state sports council,” added the former secretary of MTTA.  

Local sportspersons, however, feel that the NEC, guided by the Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, can attract younger sporting talent emerge from the state with lucrative schemes. “We are happy with what it has done in various developmental activities in our state. But they should have provisions for special funding for further training of sportspersons,” said some of the local players, who are competing here.