Yuvi gets Punjab land for sports academy - Tehelka

Yuvi gets Punjab land for sports academy

CB Singh
Chandigarh

TOEING THE lines of the neighbouring state of Haryana, Punjab has finally woken up to promote sports activities such as rural kabaddi, hockey and cricket.

After the successful operation of Rural Olympic held in Kila Raipur in February 2012, Punjab government is all set to give a boost to the cricket and other national games like hockey, kabaddi, boxing and wrestling.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has finally given his approval for the allocation of 20 acre near Chandigarh to star cricketer Yuvraj Singh for setting up of a world class sports academy. Yuvraj Singh accompanied by his mother Shabnam Singh called on Badal at his residence on Wednesday morning.

Earlier, cricketer Virender Sehwag, known as the Nawab of Najafgarh, was also offered land by the Haryana government in Jhajjar for the creation of a cricket academy besides offering sop and cash awards to those who excel in the Asian and Olympic Games. The Haryana government has begun hunting for sports talent right from the school level by providing special scholarship to budding sportspersons to play national as well international level games.

The district of Rewari will soon have a boxing academy whereas another cricket academy is planned in Rohtak, the home district of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Highlighting the efforts of the Punjab government for the promotion of sports, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said the international hockey player Pargat Singh has already been honoured by being given a party ticket in the Punjab election and now he is an MLA too.

Parkash Singh Badal appreciated the proposal put forth by Yuvraj Singh to establish state-of-the-art sports academy near Chandigarh to impart training to the budding players in cricket, hockey, golf and tennis, besides boarding and lodging facilities for the players.

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