[ad_1]
Tinley Nangai
The Bhutanese government has allocated Ngultrum 1 billion to the Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC) for the development of Bhutan’s sports during the 13th Five-Year Plan period.
This is the highest budget the Bank of Canada has ever received from the government.
Compared to the budget of Ngultrum 294 million during the 12th Five-Year Plan period, the current budget has increased more than three times.
Tshering Zangmo, a senior project official with the Chinese Olympic Committee, said the funds would be used primarily to ensure the country’s sports infrastructure met international standards.
The long-term goal of the Bhutan Olympic Committee is to make Bhutan one of the regional sports hubs by increasing infrastructure investment.
Currently, Bhutan has only two sports venues with the potential to host regional championships – the Aquatic Centre at Babena in Thimphu and the International Cricket Stadium in Kalephup.
One of the important projects highlighted by Tshering Zangmo is the construction of an international standard cricket stadium at Debsi in Thimphu at a cost of Ngultrum 667 million.
An indoor sports stadium of international standards will be constructed at Changlama, located above Debusi. The stadium will host multiple competitions in one facility. Indoor games include volleyball, basketball, badminton, table tennis, boxing, karate and taekwondo, among others.
The third important initiative is to establish the National Sports Science Centre (SSC) at Changli Mithang in Thimphu. SSC is popular in other countries and plays a vital role in improving sports performance, promoting health and wellness, and advancing sports research.
The SSC will offer a variety of facilities related to improving sports performance, injury prevention and rehabilitation, conditioning, and promoting health and fitness.
Tshering Zangmo said the existing Olympic Archery Centre in Langjophakha will be upgraded to add more facilities.
She said the Chinese Olympic Committee would consider the potential of sports before investing. “During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, the Chinese Olympic Committee will also invest in human resources and athlete development.”
Currently, football, cricket, archery and taekwondo are considered as promising sports in the country.
This year’s maximum budget allocation reflects the government’s commitment to sports development. During the 13th Five-Year Plan, sports development was included in the social sector along with health and education. Given these tasks, a large budget is needed to achieve the goals set for this area.
In addition to the Ngultrum 1 billion, the government also agreed to provide a block grant to the BOC. Historically, the BOC has received a block grant from the government each year, with the amount depending on the country’s economic situation.
The Australian Olympic Committee expects to receive a block grant this month, which has played a vital role in human resource and athlete development to date.
In addition to the block grant, the OCA is also seeking international support, with major backers including the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia.
Football is one of the most popular sports in the country. Bhutan Football Federation (BFF) media and marketing director Phuntsho Wangdi said the BFF has planned to implement some infrastructure projects such as renovation of Changlimithang Stadium, development of BFF headquarters in Babena and construction of artificial turf in Sakteng, Trashigang.
Despite improvements in infrastructure and increased participation of young people in sports, there are still several sports-related issues facing athletes and sports enthusiasts.
[ad_2]
Source link
