Tourism minister inaugurates rural games in Ludhiana

Ludhiana, Oct 3 (UNI) The two-day rural games for under-16 boys and girls were inaugurated today at Guru Nanak stadium here by Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Hira Singh Gabria.

Addressing the function, Mr Gabria said that the state government had chalked out a detailed plan for the promotion of sports and was going to set up a number of sports academies, where outstanding players would be given training of particular game to prepare them for National and International-level competitions.

The Minister further said that the government would spend Rs 75 lakh on training and providing international level sports equipment to the players during this year and Rs 50 lakh were being spent for the improvement of the available stadiums in the state.

Expressing his serious concern over the addiction to intoxicants and drugs in the youth in rural areas, Mr Gabria said that special attention was being given to set up more and more sports clubs in the rural areas and good coaches were being deputed for coaching in the rural sports centers to divert their attention to healthy habits.

He said that the government would also absorb the outstanding national and international players in the government jobs and the medal winners at such events will be honoured suitably.

Mr Gian Inder Singh District Sports Officers informed that in these District Level Rural games, around 1200 players from 12 blocks would compete in 10 sports events including Athletic, Basketball, Volleyball, Football, Hockey, Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Weight lifting, wrestling and tug of war.

He informed that the winner teams in boys section of these games would participate in the three-day state-level competitions being held at Hoshiarpur from October 10 and winner teams of girls will participate in state games being held at Bathinda from October 23.

UNI