District Hockey Association and corporators express gratitude to Assembly Speaker, Chief Minister and Sports Minister for astro turf renewal, athletic track and CSR funding
Published on: December 13, 2025
By: BTNI
Location: Rajnandgaon, India
Rajnandgaon’s hockey nursery and overall sports infrastructure have received a major boost following the sanction of projects worth several crores, including the renewal of the astro turf at the International Hockey Stadium, construction of an athletics running track and additional funding under the CSR head. The approvals have come through the combined efforts of Assembly Speaker and local MLA Dr. Raman Singh, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Sports Minister Arun Sao.
Expressing gratitude for the long-pending demands being fulfilled, a delegation of the District Hockey Association, Rajnandgaon, on Saturday morning reached the residence of Mayor Madhusudan Yadav and thanked him on behalf of the hockey fraternity and the people of the district. The delegation felicitated the Mayor with garlands, bouquets and sweets, acknowledging his role in taking the issues forward with the state leadership.
The delegation included Chhattisgarh Hockey Association President Firoz Ansari, District Hockey Association Secretary Shivnarayan Dhaketa, senior hockey coach Bhushan Sahu, Joint Secretary Prince Bhatia, Khelo India hockey coach Shakeel Ahmed, along with office-bearers Neelam Jain, Khemraj Sinha, Kishor Dheewar, Ashish Sinha, Manish Kushal Yadav and Krishna Yadav.
The representatives credited Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Sports Minister Arun Sao, Member of Parliament Santosh Pandey and Mayor Madhusudan Yadav for fulfilling the long-awaited demands related to sports facilities. They stated that sustained and coordinated efforts by public representatives have enabled Rajnandgaon district to receive multiple development projects simultaneously in the sports sector.
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It was pointed out that for several years, various sports associations—including the hockey and athletics associations—had been demanding replacement of the ageing astro turf, construction of a proper running track and other infrastructure upgrades, which remained unfulfilled during the previous Congress government. The District Hockey Association had formally communicated these requirements to its MLA and Mayor, following which the matter was taken up at higher levels.
During his visit to Rajnandgaon, Dr. Raman Singh convened a meeting with representatives of all sports associations at the stadium, listened to the concerns of athletes and officials, and took key decisions in the interest of sportspersons. As a result of these efforts, the State Government has approved nearly ₹6.04 crore for astro turf replacement and allied construction works, ₹9.34 crore for the construction of an athletics running track, and an additional ₹50 lakh under the CSR head for sports-related development works.
Following confirmation of these approvals, delegations from the District Athletics Association, other sports bodies and BJP corporators of Rajnandgaon city also expressed their gratitude to Dr. Raman Singh, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Sports Minister Arun Sao, MP Santosh Pandey and Mayor Madhusudan Yadav, extending best wishes for the initiatives aimed at strengthening sports infrastructure in the district.
