The Odisha government allocated Rs 1,217 crore budget for sports.

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The Odisha government allocated Rs 1,217 crore budget for sports.

  The state government increased the outlay to sports by nearly eight -fold in this year's budget from the figure in 2017-18, which the finance minister claimed was the highest outlay for the sector among the states.

  While it had allocated Rs 149 crore in the budget for 2017-18 for sports,it has gone up to Rs 1,27 crore for the 2023-24 financial year.Last year, the government allocated Rs 911 crore to the sector.Sports enthusiasts said the increase in allocation will lead to creation of sports infrastructure in semi-urban areas as well.

     While presenting the annual budget, finance minister Nirajan Pujari said "in recent years, sports created a new and unique identity for Odisha.Our state is being recognised as a major sports destination in the country.Sports has become one of the pillars of new Odisha."

        In his speech, Pujari also mentioned that despite Covid pandemic and adverse weather, the Birds Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela was constructed in just 15 months.

     He said, "Our government will continue to focus on large -scale sports development through creation of sports infrastructure, professional coaching and supporting national and international sports championships.Odisha has turned into an ideal destination of the sports federations and sportspersons.Odisha is leading the country in terms of large-scale investment in sports which will yield dividends in future," he said.

    In 2018, the state organized the men's hockey World Cup for the first time in Bhubaneswar and four years later in 2023,it got another opportunity to host the World Cup.