Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday inaugurated 1,000 more “Pendu Khed Maidan” (rural sports grounds) across Punjab, bringing the total to 1,764 out of a target of 3,100.
“This is a major step towards connecting our youth with sports and keeping them away from drugs,” said Mann after attending the inauguration ceremony at Shahpur village in the Amloh assembly constituency of Fatehgarh Sahib. Mann said Punjab was emerging as a hub of international sporting talent, with every sports ground equipped with football, hockey, volleyball and cricket kits.
“We are not developing playgrounds, we are creating opportunities for our rural youth. Every village should have quality sports infrastructure where children can train, practice and pursue their sporting ambitions,” the chief minister added. “Our government has both the will and intent to ensure the holistic development of Punjab.
Giving details, he said 255 sports grounds were dedicated to people during the first phase on May 4, followed by 509 on August 24 in the second phase, with 93 sports grounds in Fatehgarh Sahib district alone.
He said this was the first time the state government had undertaken such an extensive initiative to develop high-quality sports infrastructure in villages, ensuring that rural youngsters had access to modern facilities, adding that the play grounds were an important part of the state’s “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign. There is no shortage of funds for development and public welfare,” Mann said. “The safety, security and convenience of every devotee would remain the government’s foremost priority,” the chief minister said.
