Punjab all set to become nursery of sports in country-Sukhbir Badal

Chandigarh/Dirba (Sangrur), December 18, 2014: In a bid to promote sports from grass root level and developing Punjab as the nursery of Sports in India, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said that  Punjab Institute of Sports will develop 11 sports disciplines in the state. From the next academic session this institute will select 500 budding sports persons to provide them excellent training and coaching free of cost.

Stating this, the Deputy CM, who was the chief guest at the semi finals of fifth Kabaddi World Cup at Dirba (Sangrur), said that national and international level coaches would be hired by the state government so that best players could be developed at the grass root level. "My main aim is that the Indian contingent for Rio Olympics 2016 would have maximum participation from Punjab state," the Deputy CM said while addressing a jam packed Shaheed Bachan Singh Memorial Stadium, at Dirba on Thursday.

The Deputy CM said that in the first batch, 500 budding sportspersons would be admitted in sports institute and the state government would spend for their boarding, lodging and training.

Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the sportspersons would be trained in all 11 affiliated sports. He said that in the next cabinet meeting traditional martial art Gatka would be approved as an affiliated game.

He also informed that all 146 blocks of Punjab would have sports centres that would be ultra modern and state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor playing facilities, where training would be provided to sportspersons.

He said that land for the setting up of these sports centres have also been earmarked in 20 blocks where construction would start from next month onwards. He also informed that each sports centre would be set up with a cost of Rs 1.60 crore.

Rajya Sabha member Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who was the guest of honour, thanked the Deputy CM for organising semi finals at Dirba, which is nursery of Kabaddi in the region.

Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sant Balbir Singh Ghunas also thanked the Deputy CM on behalf of Dirba residents.

Prominent among those present on the occasion included Rural Development Minister Sikandar Singh Maluka, Administrative Member of PSPCL Gurbachan Singh Bachi, DC Arshdeep Singh Thind, SSP Mandeep Singh Sidhu, former minister Gobind Singh Longowal, Special  Secretary (Sports) Amrit Kaur Gill besides several others. 

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