To divert the attention of Punjab’s youth from drugs to sports, the government will build modern sports grounds in all the 13,000 villages of the state.
Addressing a Press Conference at Chandigarh, yesterday, the Chief Minister, Bhagwant Singh Mann, said that his government’s target is to make Punjab drugs free and to make that happen the youth has to be given an alternative so that it should divert his attention from drug addiction and start caring for his health. For that the best alternate is sports, he said.
Mann, who is also holding the portfolio of state sports minister, said that in the first phase, 3083 modern sports grounds will be built in as many villages.
At the same time, he said, senior players who are achievers at the National and International levels would also be hired to coach the new generation in various sports.
Detailing the plan, Mann said that in the first phase, playgrounds will be built in 3,083 villages. He added that though most village Panchayats have offered the government their land for making playgrounds, in many villages NRIs too have come forward to offer land for free for the purpose.
Mann said that when children take part in sports, they stay away from bad habits and their energy is channelled positively. He said athletes who won medals in international competitions will also be involved in coaching to promote a sporting culture among the youth.
He said that athletic tracks will be built and also Astroturf will be laid.” These playgrounds are being built in all villages, and we intend to set up sports nurseries for a cluster of villages. The budget for these nurseries has been kept aside. These nurseries will also have hostels, messes and quarters for coaches. Depending on the popular sport of the area, a specific sport nursery will be built,” Mann added.