Deputy CM Punjab honours 306 outstanding state players at Punjab Government ceremony held at LPU

Jalandhar, July 16, 2015: In a bid to create sports culture in the state, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal today announced that State government will bear all expenses for special training for outstanding players as Punjab had created a dedicated sports fund with outlay of Rs 100 crore.Mr Badal was addressing the outstanding players during cash award ceremony held at Lovely Professional University.Two of the LPU Students including M PEd student Banita Sharma have also been honoured with cash prizes in Lakhs of rupees.

Cabinet minister Ajit Singh Kohar, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries Pawan Kumar Tinu and Som Parkash, Jarnail Singh Wahad, Chairman Markfed Punjab, Principal Secretary to Deputy CM P.S. Aujla, Secretary sports Ashok Kumar Gupta, Director sports Tajinder Singh Dhaliwal,  Chairman Lovely Group Mr Ramesh Mittal, Vice-Chairman Mr Naresh Mittal, LPU Chancellor Mr Ashok Mittal and parents and relatives of sports icons. Chairman Mr Ramesh Mittal presented token of respect to Dy CM while welcoming him to LPU Campus. Chancellor Mr Ashok Mittal requested Dy CM for special efforts to be made to bring airport at Adampur for the progress of Doaba region.

Emphasizing the need to give special attention to promote sports, Dy CM said state government has already setup Punjab Institute of Sports at Mohali to provide professional and scientific training to the budding players. He said eleven games would be promoted by this institute besides six centers of excellences will also be established under this institute. He stressed that Punjab has set the target to ensure maximum participation in the Indian contingent in ensuing Rio Olympic 2016.

Speaking on the occasion Secretary Sports Mr Ashok Gupta informed that four foreign coaches would be deployed in the Punjab Institute of Sports to impart professional training to the promising players. He said that State Government had already reserved 125 posts in Police department for the players form Punjab every year who would achieve laurels for the state. LPU Chancellor Mr Ashok Mittal announced that LPU would provide 100% scholarship if awardee students opt to join this institute for further studies.

Mr Badal awarded international and national winners with cash prizes that included sports icons like Heena Sidhu in shooting with cash prize of Rs. 23 Lakh, Prabhjot Bajwa (Gymnastics) Rs. 22 Lakh, Manavjit Sidhu (Shooting) Rs. 17 Lakh, Ranjan Sodhi (Shooting) Rs. 15 Lakh, Manpreet Singh Rs. 14 Lakh and Harveen Sarao with Rs. 10 Lakh. Besides Mukesh Kumar and Poonam in table tennis were handed over Rs. 14 Lakh each, Gurbaj Singh (Cycling) with Rs.  13 Lakh 85 thousand, Navjit Kaur (Athletics) Rs. 9 Lakh, Swaran Singh (Rowing) Rs 5 Lakh. In addition to this cash prize distribution ceremonies would also be organized in various districts in which cabinet ministers and chief parliamentary secretaries would honour the medallists.