Agartala: As many as 343 athletes will participate in the state-level ‘Khelo Tripura Para Games’, which will be held at Swami Vivekananda Maidan in Agartala on December 18-19.
The games will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha on December 18.
This was announced by Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Tinku Roy during a press conference at the Secretariat on Monday.
The Para Games, a joint initiative of the Social Welfare and Social Education Department and the Youth Affairs and Sports Department, will witness the participation of athletes from all districts of the state.
He stated that the ‘Khelo Tripura Para Games-2024’ is a distinctive initiative undertaken as part of the Divyangjan Diwas, 2024.
Roy stated that the primary objective behind organizing such an event is to encourage specially-abled children to take part in sports and raise awareness about various government schemes designed to benefit them.
The Khelo Tripura Para Games will feature 14 events, including cricket, football, chess, shot put, running, long jump, musical chair, and wheelchair racing. The prize distribution ceremony will be held on December 19.
“This includes a cricket match for visually impaired people. Two teams have been formed for this. One team is the Uttaranchal team (North Tripura, Unakoti, Dhalai, Khowai districts), and the other team is the Dakshinchal team (West Tripura, Sepahijala, Gomati, South Tripura districts). There will also be football, wheelchair race, shot put, chess, 50-meter race, long jump, carrom, tug-of-war, ring throw, musical ball (men), musical chair (women), standing board jump (boys and girls), and buchi game,” said the minister.
Mallika Nadda, Chairperson of Special Olympics Bharat, will also attend the event.
The Sports Minister said that on the occasion of the Khelo Tripura Para Games, 50 exhibition stalls will be set up at Swami Vivekananda Maidan.
“Information on the developmental work of various departments will be displayed in them. Various mobility aids, including wheelchairs, will be provided to the differently-abled through the Social Welfare and Social Education Department. Apart from this, a medical camp will also be opened there to provide medical services to the specially-abled,” the minister said.
The Sports Minister also said that the Department of Social Welfare and Social Education has taken a special initiative to provide social allowance to those Divyangjan persons (60 percent and above) who have not yet received social allowance despite their eligibility.
ALSO READ: CM Saha invites investors to harness Tripura’s untapped opportunities
So far, 2,779 applications have been submitted for disability allowances. These beneficiaries will receive their social benefits at Vivekananda Maidan on December 18, along with wheelchairs and other necessary items.
Additionally, 10 outstanding specially-abled students will be awarded financial prizes during the event.
