PATIALA, AUGUST 25 — Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann dedicated 509 modern ‘Pendu Khed Maidan’ across several districts during an event in Patiala, increasing the state’s total number of functional sports grounds to 734. The project is part of a broader government initiative to build 3,100 village-level sports grounds this year to encourage sports participation and counter substance abuse among youth.
“With the objective of promoting sporting activity and providing world-class facilities at the grassroots level, Punjab is working with the objective of creating a healthy body and a healthy mind,” declared Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. He maintained that the facility rollout directly reinforces the state’s ongoing ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ campaign.
The newly launched grounds include 43 in Ludhiana, 41 in Mansa, 36 in Sangrur, 34 each in Bathinda and Patiala, 33 in Sri Muktsar Sahib, and 32 in Amritsar. Out of a dedicated Rs 1,744 crore state sports budget, Rs 1,500 crore has been assigned to complete the rural grounds network. Additionally, the government has set up 500 rural gyms as part of a planned 600-gym network across rural areas.
Each location is equipped with sports infrastructure including high-mast lighting, walking track footlights, protective fencing, and sport-specific equipment tailored to regional interest in football, volleyball, or cricket. Financial support for athletes has also been expanded, with Rs 135 crore distributed to 40,415 sportspersons since 2022 alongside ongoing preparation grants for major multi-sport events.
“If a child has a good school for education and a proper sports ground for physical development, that child can bring glory to the village, Punjab and the country at the global level,” affirmed the Chief Minister. He declared that the state will also launch the Sher-e-Punjab T20 cricket tournament at Mohali alongside hosting the upcoming Hockey Asian Champions Trophy in Jalandhar and Mohali.
