Punjab Unveils Mega Plan for 13,000 Rural Sports Grounds to Create Olympic Champions

To empower budding athletes in Punjab and help them compete at the Olympic and international levels, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has unveiled an ambitious plan to establish 13,000 modern rural sports grounds across the state.

Punjab’s Rural Development and Panchayats Minister, Tarunpreet Singh Sond, shared that construction work on 3,073 sports grounds in rural villages has already begun as part of the first phase of the project.

Sond pointed out that no significant steps had been taken in the past to develop sports infrastructure or ensure the holistic growth of youth. He said that developing sports grounds in rural areas will foster a strong sporting culture, steer youngsters away from drugs, and channel their energy in a positive direction.

Highlighting the government’s ongoing anti-drug campaign “Yudh Nashiyan Virudh,” the Minister said Punjab is already witnessing a positive transformation. Once these sports facilities are fully operational, he expressed confidence that the youth will permanently shun drugs.

Reiterating the state government’s commitment, Sond said efforts are being made to provide both employment opportunities and world-class sports facilities to the youth. Promising international exposure, he announced that renowned sportspersons who have represented India globally will be appointed as coaches to train emerging talent.

Notably, Punjab is the first state in the country to offer financial assistance to athletes even before they participate in international competitions, a move that has already yielded promising results.

With the development of rural sports grounds, Punjab is now poised to achieve new milestones on the national and international sports map.