Mangaluru: The state government has released Rs 50 lakhs for the upcoming National Senior Athletics Championship 2015 which will be held from April 30.

District in-charge minister B Ramanath Rai and Minister of State for Youth Empowerment, Sports and Fisheries K Abahychandra Jain handed over the cheque to A B Ibrahim, district commissioner here on Saturday April 18. They also inspected the ongoing preparations for the National tournament.

The 19th Federation Cup Senior Athletics Championship will be held on April 30 at the Mangala Stadium which will be inaugurated by bollywood star Sunil Shetty. The event will be held between May 1 to May 3, which will see a few more persons of national stature who would take part in the inaugural ceremony.

The event will witness 700 athletes and 200 officials from all over the country.

The four day event would cost around Rs 1.50 crore, with state government promising Rs 1 crore. Public sector undertakings, major private industrial units, public sector banks, deemed uiversities, builders and trade bodies donating to meet the remaining amount for the event. The MCC has sanctioned Rs 20 Lakhs for the event.

Rooms in the circuit house and other guest houses would be used for accomodation. Around Rs 25.16 lakh will be spent for 300 accomodation rooms for the athletes, officials and guests in hotels in the city.