TUESDAY, MAY 07, 2024
PANJIM, APRIL 4
If all goes well and barring last minute hitches, the Goa Cricket Association’s (GCA) international cricket stadium catering to 45,000 spectators could be ready by 2013 or so at Tivim in Bardez.
When the North Goa stadium is ready, the GCA has plans to host some IPL matches there provided one of the teams agrees to list it as their home ground venue, of which the association president, Dayanand Narvekar, MLA is quite confident.
Plans have already been submitted to the panchayat as well as the Town and Country Planning Board and once the permissions are obtained, work will start soon. Priority has been allocated to the pitch, the outfield so that the game could be played while the work of North and South stands will be taken up subsequently, followed by the other stands. “The place is just near the Tivim Industriasl Estate and there will be plenty of room for commercial activities,” disclosed Prasad Phatarpekar, GCA secretary.
“While originally, the GCA was empowered to incur an expenditure upto Rs 100 crore on the construction, the general body meeting at Porvorim on Sunday decided to raise it upto Rs 200 crore, so that the state-of-the art, modern project could be completed in about two and half years time from now,” explained Phatarpekar. Finances, are certainly no problem for GCA what with IPL collection also adding to its coffers via the BCCI, unlike football in India managed by AIFF.
Henceforth, there will be no ceiling on the term of GCA president, which at present stands at two terms. The immediate implication is that Dayanand Narvekar will be able to contest for the post in the future, with the ceiling on 2-term consecutive tenure removed.
Only those who are members of an affiliated club and only those who attend two general body meetings will now be eligible to become members of the future managing committees. “This will ensure that grassroot workers of the club, can grow and also at the same time get sufficient knowledge to get conversant with the working,” reasoned out Phatarpekar.
Cricket is certainly growing in Goa, and growing at a fast pace. Perhaps that’s the reason why the future managing committees will now have 15 members instead of 12 as of now.
There will be now a new working committee on the lines of BCCI, which will consist of nine members and will have its meetings half an hour before the managing committee meetings.
The amendments were carried out by 87 members who attended the special general body meeting today out of 114. It was presided over by Dayanand Narvekar.
Porvorim Correspondent adds: Narvekar said the GCA had appointed Udai Joshi as the consultant who has already prepared the project report of the stadium.
The GCA has Rs 25 crore in its kitty and will get another Rs 25 crore through lease of stands, offices, restaurants while the BCCI will give a grant of Rs 100 crore.
Under the Indian Premier League umbrella, GCA will get another Rs 40 to 50 crore and the balance Rs.50 crore will be raised through loans.
In the first phase, the cricket ground will be developed for which an amount of Rs.2 crore will be required.
Narvekar disclosed that the GCA decided to promote women’s cricket clubs in Goa.. “Every taluka should be one women cricket club. The GCA will provide financial assistance of Rs.30,000 to each club. The objective of promoting women cricket clubs is to provide them an opportunity to play throughout the year and develop their talents,” said Narvekar.
