The Punjab government launched a project to establish as many as 1,000 sports nurseries to further enhance the sports culture in the state.
Chandigarh: 2024 turned out to be a memorable year for Punjab in sports thanks to the state government. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab achieved exceptional milestones in the field of sports, especially with the introduction of ‘Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan’ and a new sports policy.
Punjab had 19 athletes participating in the Paris Olympics, representing the country at the highest level. 10 of them were hockey players who won a bronze medal at the Games, while six were shooters, two were athletes, and one was a golfer. Moreover, 3 athletes from Punjab also participated in the Paralympic Games in Athletics, Badminton, and Powerlifting.
Under the new sports policy introduced by the Punjab government, all these 22 athletes received Rs 15 lakh each for preparation, amounting to a total investment of Rs 3.3 crore. The Indian hockey team won the bronze medal at the Olympics even as eight players in the squad were from Punjab. All of these players were awarded Rs 1 crore each, while two reserve players received Rs 15 lakh each.
Other participating Olympians and Paralympians were also awarded Rs 15 lakh each by the Punjab government led by CM Bhagwant Mann. In total, Rs 13.1 crore were distributed among 22 athletes for preparation, participation, and rewards. Harmanpreet Singh, the captain of the Indian hockey team, is also from Punjab, and he became the top scorer at the Olympics with 10 goals, bringing immense pride to the state.
Moreover, to further enhance the sports culture in the state, the Punjab government launched a project to establish as many as 1,000 sports nurseries. In the first phase, the work began on 260 nurseries in 2024 with an aim to provide top-class coaching, equipment, and facilities for up-and-coming athletes.
Last year, the Chief Minister also introduced the third edition of ‘Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan’, which witnessed participation from almost five lakh athletes across 37 different sports. For the first time, parasports were also included to ensure equal opportunities for all participating athletes to show off their talent.
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