Chandigarh, Nov 11 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday opened 1,000 more ‘Pendu Khed Maidan’ (model village sports grounds), taking the total inaugurated to 1,764 out of the targeted 3,100. 

Attending the inauguration ceremony at Shahpur village in the Amloh Assembly constituency of Fatehgarh Sahib district, he said Punjab is laying the foundation to emerge as a hub of international sporting talent, with every sports ground being equipped with football, hockey, volleyball and cricket kits. 

Taking a swipe at previous governments, he said they neither provided grants to villages nor undertook development works, while his government was prioritising sports infrastructure to give rural youth opportunities to become international athletes and bring glory to Punjab. 

Addressing the gathering, CM Mann said channelising the energy of Punjab’s youth towards sports is essential to protect them from the drug menace and provide them with a constructive direction.

He welcomed people and political leaders who had travelled from different parts of the state to participate in the programme, saying that sports could play a decisive role in building a healthy, disciplined and progressive society. 

“Our government is committed to making Punjab drug-free. We are dedicating another 1,000 sports grounds to the people today because our youth need proper facilities and opportunities to excel in sports. By channelising their energy towards sports, we can keep them away from drugs and encourage them to bring laurels to Punjab and the country,” the Chief Minister said. 

He said for the first time the Punjab Government had undertaken such an extensive initiative to develop high-quality sports infrastructure in villages, ensuring that rural youngsters had access to modern facilities close to their homes.

“Under this initiative, 3,100 ‘Pendu Khed Maidan’ are being developed across Punjab. These grounds are an important part of our ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’. Our objective is to create a sporting culture in every village so that young people choose fitness, discipline and positive activities over drugs,” he added.

--IANS