Chandigarh: Punjab Sports and Youth Services Minister Gurmeet Singh while speaking at the National Conference (Chintan Camp) of State Sports Ministers being organized by the Union Sports Ministry in Imphal demanded the hosting of the National Games/Khelo India Games to Punjab. Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur presided over this session.
Meet Hayer said that Punjab did not host any national games or Khelo India Games after the 2001 National Games. He said that at one point in time, Punjab was the number one state in the country in sports and gradually it was falling behind. The state government headed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is making efforts to make Punjab a leader in sports again. If Punjab gets a chance to organize a big national-level sports competition, then the efforts to create a sports culture in the state will get more strength.
Meet Hayer further said that the Punjab government is building sports parks in villages under MNREGA and the sports department is giving the gap funding amount. The central government should help the states with this gap funding under the schemes of Khelo India or any other scheme.
Referring to the difficulties faced by sportspersons in their sports life due to injuries, the Punjab Sports Minister said that an injury and rehabilitation centre should be set up for the sportspersons in the Center of Excellence so that the sportspersons can recover from injuries. He cited the example of Olympic champion athlete Neeraj Chopra who recovered from injury due to the help he received from such centres abroad.
Meet Hare said that a bridge should be built between the winners of the Khelo India Games and prepare them for the future by sending them to good centres. It is imperative to lay stress on the preparation of selected players of the country for big platforms like the Olympics, Commonwealth, and Asian Games.
