Steps taken to put Punjab on top in world sports: Pargat

Chandigarh, Oct 13 (UNI) Former hockey Olympian Pargat Singh today said steps are being initiated many steps to put Punjab again on top of the sports world.

Pargat Singh, while talking to mediapersons on the occasion of completing one year in office last month as Sports Director in the Punjab Sports Directorate, said among other things sports budget for projects was sanctioned, shelved plan revived, cash-award hiked, the Maharaja Ranjit Singh award re-introduced, more outstanding sportspersons honoured and international coaches are being employed to promote the sportspersons.

Invitation to foreign coaches in track and field, hockey and other priority sports disciplines are in the pipeline. Physical trainers and psychologists would also be involved in the training programme of the Punjab sportspersons in future, he said.

''The Sports Department is stressing on broad-basing the sports culture, specialisation and upgradation of the coaches' knowledge, providing improved and healthy playing as well as competition environment and upgradation of infrastructure'', he said.

Two world-renowned trainers were invited to Punjab. NBA coach Robert Reid was the first foreign coach to visit Punjab during the Junior Nationals Basketball Championship in Ludhiana to interact with the players and the coaches. Italian boxing coach Febrizio Petrino also conducted a 15-day coaching camps for players as well as trainers in Chandigarh,'' Pargat Singh elaborated.

''When I joined the Punjab Sports Department on September 22, 2005, I had a clear vision in my mind about what steps I have to take for the betterment of the Punjab sportspersons. It was basically a policy matter and implementation. I am satisfied with my work but there are many more things which have to be done to pave the way for the Punjab players to dominate the Indian sports. Punjab was earlier known as sports hub of the country. My ambition is to put Punjab again on the top,'' Pargat said.

''It took some time to understand the functioning of the department. After getting grip on the files, I gradually started moving towards implementation of plans. I was able to convince the State Government to release the grants accordingly. The sports budget (Under Plan and Non Plan) required for implementing the projects was sanctioned. Many plans, which were shelved due to paucity of funds, were revived. The most important was revival of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh award. As many as 124 outstanding sportspersons were presented the highest state sports awards from 1997 to 2004. The cash award was hiked to Rs one lakh,'' said Pargat Singh.

Pargat, however, admitted that some coaching schemes were not meeting the desired results in the initial stages due to limited number of coaches at the disposal of the Sports Department.

''Withdrawal of a large number of coaches by the Sports Authority of India hit the Punjab sports to some extent. However, this deficiency has been overcome with the Punjab Police placing the services of its 85 coaches at the disposal of the Sports Department.'' UNI XC JN AY RK1758