Comprehensive Punjab sports policy on anvil: Sukhbir

Jalandhar, Mar 13 (UNI) To promote sports talent in state, Punjab government would soon bring out comprehenssive sports policy, said SAD (Badal) president Sukhbir Singh Badal here today.

Punjab sports department had already prepared a rough draft of the sports policy, he said while speaking at a function organised to honour 125 outstanding police sportspersons and 21 coaches with Life Time Achievement Awards, at the PAP Ground here.

To further improve the standard of the sports, Punjab Institute of Sports (PIS) would be established in the state on the pattern of National Institute of Sports, Patiala, he said adding that the PIS would be further branched out into three zonal centres, one each for Doaba, Malwa and Manjha regions of the state.

In all, the institute would concentrate on eight to 10 sports activities, predominantly popular and played in Punjab, he informed.

If required, coaches not only from India but also from abroad would be arranged, he said adding that free boarding and lodging would be provided to the budding sportspersons by the Sports Department.

To give philip to the staggering hockey and to restore its old glory, after its recent debacle, he advocated the need of training of the players at the grassroot level.

He said that instead of getting demoralised, Punjab should accept the challenge to promote hockey in the state despite all odds so that it could produce more hockey players for the country.

To further tap the immense talent, Mr Badal said that he was in talks with the oraganisers of the Indian Cricket League (ICL) to start Punjab Local Hockey league in the state.

For the promotion of kabbadi, another popular rural game of Punjab, he said that World Kabbadi League would soon be established, for which kabbadi clubs would be set up at districts level.

The clubs would be sponsored by various national and multi-national companies, he said adding that the companies would not only organised matches but would also provide employemnt to the players.

He further said that the promotion of sports would save the future generation from various menaces adversaly effecting the youth of the country.

While replying to the demand of PAP IG Rajan Gupta regarding prmotion of police sportspersons on the basis of their performance, he said that he would take up the matter with Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal.

UNI DP JN MMS1554