PATIALA, August 25 — Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann dedicated 509 modern ‘Pendu Khed Maidan’ across various districts during a event in Patiala, raising the total number of operational sports grounds in the state to 764. The initiative forms part of a broader project to establish 3,100 village playgrounds with an allocation of Rs 1,500 crore, aimed at steering youth away from substance abuse.
“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,” stated Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. He maintained that after dedicating 255 grounds in the first phase, the government handed over another 509 facilities to the public to strengthen the ongoing ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ campaign.
Out of the newly inaugurated spaces, 43 are located in Ludhiana, 41 in Mansa, 36 in Sangrur, 34 each in Bathinda and Patiala, 33 in Sri Muktsar Sahib, and 32 in Amritsar, alongside distribution in other districts. The state has earmarked an overall sports budget of Rs 1,744 crore for the year 2026, which has been dedicated exclusively to sports and sportspersons. The plan also includes establishing 6,000 rural gyms, of which 500 stand inaugurated.
The upgraded grounds incorporate volleyball courts, football goalposts, cricket equipment, high-mast lights for night games, footlights on walking tracks, and chain-link fencing. Equipment selection aligns with the primary sport preferred in each respective village. To foster community engagement, activities for children and senior citizens are being organized alongside youth matches.
“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,” declared the Chief Minister. He affirmed that financial assistance continues to expand, citing Rs 135 crore distributed as prize money to 40,415 sportspersons since 2022, alongside preparation grants of Rs 15 lakh for Olympic aspirants and Rs 8 lakh for Asian and Commonwealth Games competitors.
Major upcoming events include the fourth season of ‘Khedan Wattan Punjab Diyan’ commencing September 5 in Bathinda, expecting 10 lakh participants. The state is also preparing to host a T20 cricket league in Mohali alongside the Hockey Asian Champions Trophy across Jalandhar and Mohali later this year.
