Ludhiana: Punjab Minister Inaugurates National School Games, Highlights Big Steps By AAP Govt

Ludhiana: Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Tuesday formally inaugurated the 69th National School Games at Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana, marking the start of a major national sporting event that has drawn young athletes from across the country. Players from all states and Union Territories, along with teams from Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas and Vidya Bharati schools, are participating in the Games being held from January 6-11.

What did the minister say?

Addressing the gathering, the Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “During the 69th National School Games, competitions will be organised in Judo Under-14 for boys and girls, Taekwondo Under-14 for girls and boys, Gatka Under-19 for boys and girls.” He added that the matches would be conducted at multiple venues across the city, saying, “These competitions will be held at BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar, Government Senior Secondary School, PAU Ludhiana and the Open Air Theatre at PAU, Ludhiana.”

Calling the event a matter of pride for Punjab and the host city, S Harjot Singh Bains said, “It is a matter of great pride for Punjab and for Ludhiana that the 69th National School Games are being organised here. Around 1,000 sportspersons and more than 350 coaches have arrived from different parts of the country, including Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Andhra Pradesh and the North East.” 

He said that the district administration had made elaborate arrangements for the participants, stating, “Despite the cold weather, adequate arrangements have been ensured for accommodation, food and transportation. PCR teams have been deployed for security and CCTV cameras have been installed at the playgrounds.”

How is the Punjab government promoting sports?

Highlighting the state government’s focus on sports infrastructure, the Education Minister said, “The Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is continuously striving to expand sports infrastructure in the state. Construction work of 3,100 playgrounds in villages and cities is underway at a war footing in the first phase, with the vision of ensuring that every village in Punjab will have its own sports ground.”

Referring to capacity building in sports, Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “Coaches are being recruited on a large scale in sports nurseries for boxing, hockey, kabaddi and other sports, and the diet of players has also been increased so that they can train and perform better.”

Speaking about the state’s sports policy, the Education Minister said, “Punjab has formulated a sports policy under which, for the first time, when a player is selected for the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships or the Olympics, the Punjab government provides advance financial assistance to the selected players. In other states, such incentives are given after winning medals, but Punjab supports its players in advance, and after the implementation of this policy, the number of medals won by Punjab has increased.”

Minister Harjot Singh Bains further said, “It is a matter of great pride for Punjab that the Indian men’s cricket team, Indian women’s cricket team and the Indian hockey team are performing brilliantly under the captaincy of Punjabis. The strong representation of Punjabi players in the Indian hockey team indicates that Punjab is steadily moving towards restoring its old identity as a leading state in the field of sports.”

On the occasion, MLA Daljit Singh Bhola Grewal, Director Secondary Education Gurinder Singh Sodhi, Mayor Principal Inderjit Kaur, Senior Deputy Mayor Rakesh Parashar, Deputy Mayor Prince Johar, District Education Officer Dimple Madan, District Sports Officer Kuldeep Chugh, along with senior officers from various departments, were present.