Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Madaviya will lay the foundation stone for a multi-purpose indoor stadium to be built under the Khelo India scheme of the Union Government at V.C. Farm in Mandya district on March 14.
Sharing this information with the reporters after visiting the V.C. Farm on Saturday and inspecting the site for the stadium, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H. D. Kumaraswamy said a well-equipped stadium will be constructed on 1.5 acres of land at a cost of ₹ 14 crore.
“We are taking steps to encourage rural children to take up sports. However, more land is required to provide additional sports facilities here. We hope the State government will provide the required land,” he said.
He said he had initially requested the government to provide land for the stadium within Mandya city, but since land was not available there, space was allotted at V.C. Farm.
“We need about five acres. In the coming days, sports facilities will be expanded to cover five acres,” he said.
Electric vehicles
On the occasion, Mr. Kumaraswamy inspected the electric two-wheelers that will be distributed to 388 persons with disabilities during the foundation laying ceremony for the stadium on March 14.
The vehicles are being provided under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of TVS Motor Company and the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) under the Union Ministry of Steel.
Plan for ARAI centre
Mr. Kumaraswamy welcomed the State Government’s Budget announcement to provide 100 acres of land in Mandya to establish a research and testing centre of the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI).
Thanking the government and the Chief Minister for this decision, Mr Kumaraswamy, who represents Mandya in the Lok Sabha, said an ecosystem must be created to promote industrial development in Mandya and that everyone should work towards this goal.
“In the first phase, the Union Government will invest ₹500 crore to establish the ARAI centre. Later, another ₹500 crore will be invested. Soon, officials from my ministry and technical experts will visit and inspect the site. We are waiting to see where the State government will allocate the land. They will examine whether the land identified by the government is suitable for the project,” he said.
Mr. Kumaraswamy said he had already held a meeting with over 50 industrialists, including office-bearers of FKCCI, to promote the electric vehicle sector in Karnataka.
Assures help
Meanwhile, Mr. Kumaraswamy has assured help to a two-year-old boy from Shivara village in Mandya taluk, who is suffering from a rare disease.
Responding to a plea by the child’s parents to save their son, Mr Kumaraswamy assured support for the child’s treatment by arranging funds from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund and also by providing personal financial assistance.
Published – March 07, 2026 08:45 pm IST
