Chandigarh, January 22
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that high-quality infrastructure is being provided by the Haryana Government to the State’s athletes to help them win medals at the Olympics. To nurture the hidden sporting talent in the State, the government has established sports nurseries along with other sports centres. The government has also ensured world-class facilities for athletes, as a result of which Haryana players are bringing the highest number of medals for the country.
The Chief Minister was interacting with athletes on Thursday at a programme organised by the Kurukshetra University administration at the sports complex of the university. Earlier, Chief Minister and State Minister for Sports Gaurav Gautam inaugurated a synthetic hockey ground constructed at a cost of about ₹5.50 crore under the Khelo India Scheme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.
The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of an all-weather swimming pool project to be constructed at a cost of ₹8 crore under the Khelo India Scheme. After the inauguration, Chief Minister and State Minister for Sports themselves held hockey sticks and played a stroke on the new synthetic turf.
The Chief Minister said that the synthetic hockey ground will now provide emerging hockey players with world-class facilities to hone their skills. Encouraging the athletes, he said that the Haryana Government is committed to promoting sports and strengthening sports infrastructure. Interacting with university officials, the Chief Minister said that through the Government of India’s Khelo India Scheme, the State’s athletes will win even more medals at the Olympics and on international platforms, thereby bringing greater glory to the country. The event not only symbolised infrastructure development but also reaffirmed the resolve to keep Haryana as the nation’s sports hub.
Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, Prof. Somnath Sachdeva, while welcoming Saini, shared details of the synthetic hockey astroturf built under the Khelo India Scheme. He said that a budget of ₹10 crore was provided by the Ministry of Sports, Government of India. Of this, ₹5.50 crore has been spent on the hockey ground, and a multipurpose indoor sports hall will be constructed at a cost of ₹4.50 crore. Deputy Commissioner Vishram Kumar Meena and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
