Wailadmiki Shylla said the Government of Meghalaya will provide a 72-75 per cent subsidy for setting up boutique hotels in Tura and Jowai to address accommodation shortages ahead of the upcoming National Games.
Chairing the first meeting of the National Games Secretariat Society in Shillong, the Sports and Youth Affairs Minister said while accommodation capacity in Shillong is adequate, shortages remain in the Garo Hills and Jaintia Hills regions. He said the tourism-linked initiative would help create lodging facilities for athletes and technical officials while also boosting local tourism and entrepreneurship.
Shylla said the government does not want to create large-scale infrastructure that may become difficult to maintain after the Games. Instead, locals interested in setting up boutique hotels will be supported under a subsidy scheme with specific operational guidelines.
The minister said the state government has already begun construction and other preparations using state funds without waiting for central assistance. He added that recent reviews by the Union Sports Ministry on the state’s preparations had been positive.