CHANDIGARH: Announcing a 15 day long sports mega event "World Cup Kabaddi", Punjab Deputy Chief Minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal said that this would begin in the end of March and continue up to first week of April.
He said that to encourage this traditional game of Punjab, the state Government has announced a record prize of Rs 1 crore for the winner of world cup with Rs 51 lakh and Rs 25 lakh respectively for the teams scoring second and third position
Speaking to the media persons after distributing prizes to the winners of Rural Olympic in Kila Raipur, Badal appealed to the youth of Punjab to participate actively in the sports and become a partner in state government's war against drug paddling and addiction, Badal said that due to his commitment to free Punjabi youth from tentacles of drug addiction, the Punjab police has made record seizure of drugs and narcotics from the state.
He said that it was due to the determined and focused fight of Punjab police, out of total seizure of drugs worth Rs 1500 crores in the country, 65% of it was seized from the Punjab only. He said that this figure alone shows the alarming size of problem being faced by the border state and also depict the efforts of Punjab police.
He said that it was our government that has given gradation to Kabaddi that was denied to it since last 62 years. He said that Punjab Government given final touches to the sports policy that would be announced in next fortnight.
He said that Punjab Government has already given instructions to all the departments to fill the back log of sports quota in recruitment and every department has been launched special recruitment drive to fill this quota. He said that this quota would be applicable in all class I , II and III posts.
He said that Punjab Government has already taken up with Union Sports Minister to categorize Kila Raipur rural spots as National festival and state government was awaiting the nod of Union Government.
Giving the details of initiative taken by the state for promoting sprts, mr. Badal said that a hockey league on the pattern of IPL would be soon organize to hunt the hockey talent from the rural areas of Punjab. He said that 1100 villages every year are being provided sports infrastructure worth rs 1 lakh. Regarding the problems being faced in JNURM, Mr. Badal said that certain pre conditions of Union Government have already been accepted by the state government and Union Government has finalized the list of 48 towns to be covered under this scheme.
Accepting the demand of the organizers, Badal announced that state government will put up RO system in the Kila Raipur Village and also announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh for this prestigious rural games.
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