Kerala ready to host upcoming national school athletic meet

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala is willing to host the National Schools Athletic Meet next month if Maharashtra backs out, state sports minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said on Tuesday.

"This will come up before the state cabinet tomorrow and am certain, everybody would be only glad to give the sanction to it as I can say with pride, we do have all the required infrastructure to host it, at short notice and at a nominal cost," Radhakrishnan told IANS.

Kerala is confident of successfully hosting the meet due to the presence of world-class infrastructure created at a cost of around Rs.600 crore to stage the 35th National Games, which were held early this year in seven districts of the state.

"The decision if it has to be given to us in lieu of Maharashtra has to be taken by the Centre. While it will cost a mere Rs.3 crore to host the event here, it would cost Rs.30 crore elsewhere and it may not be possible also to be held at such a short notice," added Radhakrishnan.

Several new stadiums were built and existing ones were renovated for the National Games.

Besides, a world-class stadium that hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games here is also complete and functional.