LAHORE, Mar 05 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that the government had been taking historic steps to promote sports activities in the province as a record budget was also allocated for the sports department.
He was chairing a meeting at the CM Office to review the initiatives taken for the promotion of sports in the province.
The meeting also reviewed Insaf Sports Card to provide stipend to the players. Usman Buzdar directed the meeting to submit their final recommendations and proposals for the issuance of the Insaf Sports Card at the earliest.
He said that steps would be taken to encourage the players.
The CM said the number of sports facilities in the province had been increased from 300 to 618 during the three and a half years.
Usman Buzdar said that the budget of the Sports department had also been increased from Rs 2 billion to Rs 7.34 billion. He said that there were only 300 sports facilities available in the past.
The incumbent government has doubled these sports facilities in a short span of time.
He said that 1400 new grounds were being setup in rural areas of the province out of which 150 new grounds have been completed whereas 350 more new grounds will be completed in the current financial year.
He said that sports complexes were being set up in 40 tehsils while sports complexes have been completed in 14 tehsils. He said that 100 gyms will also be set up in Punjab.
Usman Buzdar said that for the first time in the history, a high-performance center of hockey was being set up at Nishtar Park and work has also been started on the projects of the Squash Complex and Table Tanis Arenas. These projects were kept pending for the last 30 years, he said adding that work has also been started for setting up boxing club and shooting gallery.
The CM said that the government will also establish leagues of hockey, football, kabaddi and other sports in Punjab.
The provincial minister for sports apprised the participants about the steps taken for the promotion of sports in the province and the progress on the new grounds.
Provincial Minister for Sports Taimoor Bhatti, SACM and Spokesperson Hasaan Khawar, Principal Secretary to the CM, Secretary Sports and concerned officers were also present of this occasion.