Bhubaneswar, Feb 15 (IANS): Odisha is investing more than Rs 2,500 crore in building sports infrastructure, which include 90 indoor stadia in urban local bodies (ULBs), Sports Secretary R. Vineel Krishna said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the senior officers' conference in Konark, Krishna said the state government is building India's first indoor athletic stadium, indoor aquatic centre, high performance centres for hockey, badminton, weightlifting, gymnastics, athletics, and training centres for hockey, football, swimming, gymnastics etc.

He elaborated on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's vision of creating a new identity for Odisha through sports and productively engaging the youth through sports as a major platform.

The Chief Minister desires that Odisha should become a health, fitness and sports-oriented society. And therefore, in the last few years, the state government has been investing in creating massive infrastructure, organising national and international championships, unique models of coaching in partnership with corporates and elite sports persons etc., Krishna stated.

The successful organisation of the Hockey World Cup recently was a prime example of the team work of the state government, wherein all the departments and districts put up a grand show which brought laurels to the state and the country, he said.

Managing Director of Odisha Industrial Development Corporation (Idco), Bhupendra Poonia, explained how the world's largest all-seated hockey stadium, the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, was created within a short period of 15 months in spite of various challenges.

The senior officers' conference, which was inaugurated by the Chief Minister on Tuesday, concluded on Wednesday.