Punjab CM inaugurates 509 village sports grounds

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has inaugurated 509 modern ‘Pendu Khed Maidan’ (village sports grounds) across various districts, including Ludhiana, Mansa, Sangrur, Bathinda, Patiala, Sri Muktsar Sahib, and Amritsar. This second phase of the state’s grassroots sports programme brings the total number of dedicated grounds to 734.

The government aims to develop a total of 3,100 Pendu Khed Maidan across the state by the end of 2026. To support this initiative, Punjab has earmarked a sports budget of ₹1,744 crore, with ₹1,500 crore specifically allocated for these grounds. The project also includes the development of 600 rural gyms.

The initiative is designed to provide world-class sporting facilities to rural youth and promote the ‘Say No to Drugs, Say Yes to Sports’ message as part of the ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ campaign. The grounds are equipped with facilities for cricket, football, volleyball, and traditional sports, featuring high-mast lights for night use, walking tracks, and fencing.