Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced plans to build a new international cricket stadium. It will be located on the outskirts of Hyderabad, specifically in Begarikancha. This announcement happened during a session of the state Assembly and coincided with the foundation-laying ceremony for the Young India Skills University.
The Chief Minister mentioned that initial talks have already taken place with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about the new stadium. He stated, “The state government is committed to promoting sports, and we will soon unveil a comprehensive sports policy.” The government is currently looking at Haryana’s sports policies for inspiration.
To show its commitment to sports development, the Telangana government has allocated ₹321 crore for sports initiatives in the state budget for the fiscal year 2024-25. Reddy focused on improving sports infrastructure, noting that existing stadiums in Yousufguda, Gachibowli, and Saroornagar have seen a decline in activity. He also mentioned that the LB Stadium is being used more for political events than sports.
The state cabinet has decided to allocate 600 square yards of housing plots to notable sportspersons. This includes shooter Esha Singh, two-time world boxing champion Nikhat Zareen, and international cricketer Mohammed Siraj. The cabinet also decided to offer Group-1 jobs to Zareen and Siraj as a gesture of encouragement for their contributions to sports.
Although Siraj does not have the formal educational qualification required for a Group-1 job, the cabinet granted an exemption due to his sporting achievements. This decision allows Siraj the opportunity for direct entry into high-ranking positions, such as Deputy Superintendent of Police, if he wants to join the police force.
The Chief Minister stressed the importance of sports and infrastructure development in the state. He encouraged opposition parties to offer suggestions for promoting sporting activities. The new sports policy is expected to be announced in the upcoming Assembly session.
