 "Punjab deputy CM kicks off sports leagues for five disciplines")
To strengthen sports culture at the grass roots in the state, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday announced state leagues for five sports disciplines - hockey, volleyball, basketball, football and handball - during weekends. The aim is to ensure maximum participation of players from Punjab in the 2016 Olympics.
Badal directed the sports department to launch local Punjab league events in which teams of all 22 districts in five disciplines would compete for titles. He also asked the department to provide transportation and better lodging facilities to players at each district headquarter.
Deliberating upon the arrangements of upcoming fifth World Kabbadi Cup 2014, Badal has also approved the schedule of world cup, which would be held from November 29 to December 14, immediately after the world Kabbadi league. Deputy chief minister also directed the sports department to organise Shaheed Bhagat Singh sports tournament annually having multiple discipline competitions. This year the event would be held at the end of October or first week of November.
It was also decided to establish world class shooting ranges in Mohali and Bathinda besides providing free weapons and ammunition to players, including training from experts.
Mr. Badal has also emphasised the need to engage the services of advances sports institutes like Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala and Army Institute of Pune in this regard.
Deputy chief minister also approved the proposal regarding setting up of headquarter of Punjab State Institute of Sports at sector 78 SAS Nagar. He also ordered to appoint the director-general of sports for the institute by the end of next month.
It was also decided at the meeting that winners of recently-held Commonwealth games at Glasgow from Punjab would be honoured along with the medal winners in upcoming Asian games in Incheon (South Korea) as all players were busy in the preparation for these games.
Badal directed the sports department to launch local Punjab league events in which teams of all 22 districts in five disciplines would compete for titles. He also asked the department to provide transportation and better lodging facilities to players at each district headquarter.
Deliberating upon the arrangements of upcoming fifth World Kabbadi Cup 2014, Badal has also approved the schedule of world cup, which would be held from November 29 to December 14, immediately after the world Kabbadi league. Deputy chief minister also directed the sports department to organise Shaheed Bhagat Singh sports tournament annually having multiple discipline competitions. This year the event would be held at the end of October or first week of November.
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To set the pace for Rio Olympics, Badal has asked the department to especially concentrate on shooting and wrestling as Punjab has a great potential to bag medals in these events.
It was also decided to establish world class shooting ranges in Mohali and Bathinda besides providing free weapons and ammunition to players, including training from experts.
Mr. Badal has also emphasised the need to engage the services of advances sports institutes like Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala and Army Institute of Pune in this regard.
Deputy chief minister also approved the proposal regarding setting up of headquarter of Punjab State Institute of Sports at sector 78 SAS Nagar. He also ordered to appoint the director-general of sports for the institute by the end of next month.
It was also decided at the meeting that winners of recently-held Commonwealth games at Glasgow from Punjab would be honoured along with the medal winners in upcoming Asian games in Incheon (South Korea) as all players were busy in the preparation for these games.