Ranchi, Jharkhand Sports Minister Bandhu Tirkey Saturday announced that the National Games have been further postponed and will now be held Feb 15-28.

Tirkey also said that the state government will seek Rs.10 billion in assistance from the central government to hold the Games.

Jharkhand was awarded the 34th national games in 2002 and the event was later scheduled in 2007.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) earlier postponed the Games at the request of National Games Organising Committee (NGOC) as Jharkhand failed to develop the infrastructure in time for the Dec 1-13 event.

"The National Games date has been extended as the necessary infrastructure was not ready. The IOA has accepted the request to extend the dates and the games will take place in February," he said. "The infrastructure will be ready by that time.

"The Jharkhand government and NGOC have agreed to seek Rs.10 billion from the centre to conduct the Games. A delegation of the state government and NGOC will soon meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh," Tirkey said.

According to sources in NGOC, the IOA has threatened to withdraw the Games from Jharkhand if it is not held in February. This is the second time that IOA has postponed the event.

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