Punjab Government announces MIG residence for athlete Khushbir Kaur

Chandigarh, April 15, 2015: Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has promptly  delivered on his promise to the national icon, Asiad medallist  and one of the Rio Olympics hopefuls,  Khushbir Kaur , as the Punjab Government  today announced its decision to immediately allot an MIG residence to the athlete in Amritsar where she and her family have been battling hardship and financial  adversity.  The star and her family had been forced to live in a cowshed "because they couldn't afford a roof over their head." 

The Deputy CM, who had  learnt of Khushbir Kaur's  pathetic plight in Amritsar only last evening, drove in specially this afternoon  to meet his father and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at the latter's official residence, visibly  disturbed and concerned about what he had been told about Khushbir and her family.  He requested the Chief Minister, for the allotment of an MIG house to the national sports icon. He had brought with him  the details of the athlete's family and of the shocking conditions in which they were forced to spend their life due to economic hardships. "I am deeply pained to see our heroic star suffering this neglect and adversity. Our government which is committed to  uplift of the poor, the meritorious and the sports fraternity, has to come to her aid," he pleaded with the Chief Minister who heard him sympathetically and assured him of all help to the "daughter of Punjab who has made all of Punjab and country proud ".  

Later in the evening, the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister met again at the CMR. This time, the concerned officers were also called in and  told to expedite the allotment of an MIG residence to the sports star and her family. Sukhbir SIngh Badal thanked the Chief Minister for the "prompt and fatherly response to Khushbir's problem."

It may be recalled that  Khushbir Kaur had bagged a silver medal for India in the 20 kilometer walk in the 2014 Incheon Asia Games. She is currently  in Portugal preparing for the Rio Olympics. It is learnt that Khushbir's family had been promised Rs 5 lakh by her college authorities for constructing their house. But for some reason, the family have not received the money and are forced to live in sub-human conditions, using a cowshed  as their house.