Ranchi's just begun its sprint to the national games in 2007 with the first of infrastructure building after the nod from the Indian Olympic Association.Chief Minister Arjun Munda has put the Greater Ranchi Development Authority (GRDA) in charge of the mega sports complex to come up across 600 acres with interalia stadia, Olympic-size swimming pools and velodrome. Although the land is yet to be identified, the GRDA is set to employ Ranchi -based PSU Mecon as its consultant for executing the project after the ‘‘host city agreement’’ is signed by IOL president Suresh Kalmadi, general secretary Randhir Singh and Jharkhand Olympic Association president R.K. Anand and its secretary S.M. Hashmi.‘‘We are trying to gain the centrestage in the field of sports by hosting the national games,’’ Munda said. The state has seen a flurry of activity since Munda assumed charge, including the youth festival in Jamshedpur, Khel Mela, sports quiz and a marathon in Ranchi.JMM MLA and leader of Opposition Stephen Marandi is critical of Munda’s plans. ‘‘We are happy the national games will be held here in 2007. But since this government has not cared to provide even a football to any player in the past three years, we suspect he is out to make capital out of sports.’’After the Indian women’s hockey team won the gold medal at the Afro-Asia games last year, five players — Samurai Tete, Masira Surin, Adlin Kerketta, Pushpa Pradhan and Kanti Ba were given Rs 5 lakh each. Ba turned down the money.At the moment, the state runs six sports training centres, two each in Ranchi, Latehar and Gumla. The state government has drafted a plan to set up 19 such centres in as many districts. At each of these centres, 25 sports persons will be selected and trained with the state government’s sponsorship, with Rs 1,200 scholarship.
