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Billion’s allocated for Sports development – Sri Lanka Budget 2018

SPORTS ACTIVITIES – Budget 2018 (the speech as it is)

185. Mr Speaker, sports have the twin impact of building a sense of social cohesion and social capital whilst ensuring that the country achieves recognition in the international arena.

186. As such, we will popularize community sports and to support this initiative we will develop 100 rural playgrounds throughout the country. Rs. 100 Mn

187. The Talent Identification programme has now enabled us to create pools of talent of budding young athletes at District and Provincial levels, thus, becoming the main feeding point into the National Pool. As such, to promote sports at the District and Provincial levels, we plan to uplift the District and Provincial sports stadiums. As such, initially, the Digana sports stadium, the Polonnaruwa District stadium and the Sandankeni sports stadium in Kalmunai will be developed during the next 2 years. The Matale Hockey Ground, which is in a dilapidated state, will be rehabilitated. Rs. 400 Mn

188. Sri Lanka has the honour of hosting the South Asia Games (SAG) in 2020. The Diyagama International Sports Complex, where the SAG games are planned to be held, will be upgraded and expanded which will include the re-laying of the tracks, development of an athletic village, an entertainment area, a muscular skeletal surgery unit etc. We will also establish a Sports School and an Academy at Diyagama which will be the training ground for the majority of our national level athletes.Rs. 1,500

189. The Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium will be modernized and managed as a PPP. It is expected that this will attract international sports competitions and entertainment events.Rs. 100 Mn

190. The pavilion and the tracks at the Sugathadasa Outdoor Stadium will also be upgraded to international standards. Rs. 1,200 Mn

191. The Human Performance laboratory will be equipped with state of the art facilities. Rs. 75 Mn

192. The issue of performance enhancing drugs has permeated into the country’s sports arena, as well. This is quite shameful. As such, we will support the implementation of a national awareness programme on anti-doping and the establishment of a drug testing and research laboratory. Rs. 25 Mn

193. I understand that the cost of sports shoes has become a major impediment in attracting our village youth into competitive sports. Therefore, I wish to propose that the para-tariffs imposed on import of sports shoes be removed.

194. We will also support our Veterans and the differently abled who represent the country in international sports competitions such as the Asian Masters Championships, Paralympics etc . Rs. 50 Mn