By a sports correspondent
CHANDIGARH: Punjab will set up two sports projects development areas (SPDA) at Patiala and Ludhiana under a scheme which has been devised in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India.
A number of decisions were ken at a meeting attended by Mr A.K.Pandya Director-General of the Sports Authority of India Mr I.S.Bindra Secretary Sports Punjab and Mr T.C.Gupta Director Sports Punjab at Delhi recently.
As a result of the SPDAs the sports infrastructure created for the National Games will be put to better use. The various stadia will no longer serve as sports monuments like it happened at Delhi after the 1982 Asiad.
According to Mr Bindra one SPDA is sanctioned normally against 80 to 100 blocks. Punjab qualified for the two and it was decided to immediately start work on the two projects. Under this scheme an estimated Rs 1 crore will be spent on the development of each center As much as SO% of the total amount will be contributed by the Central government. Each center will have a separate sports hostel. Sites for the hostel buildings have already been identified. According to Mr Bindm an elite group of 80 boys will be selected in the 10-14 age-group by a committee of experts through a battery of tests. The boys performance will be closely monitored.
Those failing to show the desired standard in their respective games after a year or 80 will be dropped and new players will take their places.
To begin with four to five games have been identified The Patiala center will have facilities and arrangements for gymnastics weightlifting badminton swimming and kho kho whereas Ludhiana will cater for athletics cycling basketball handball and jado.
Interestingly table tennis which has a strong base in Punjab has not been identified for development cither at the Pauala or the Ludhiana center.
Since the buildings are yet to come up the state government has decided to hare accommodation for the two centers which are set to start functioning from the next academic session. The total expenditure on the boys education coaching board and lodging will be met by the state government. Education to the boys will be given in the best of the schools. As a special measure the state government will give a monthly scholarship of Rs 150 per head for out-of-pocket expenses
Meanwhile the Punjab government has decided to set up three sports hostels at Mahilpur (Hoshiarpur) Jalandhar and Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda) Seventy five boys in the 14-18. Age-group will be selected for these hostels. The government will bear the expenses for their board and lodging conveyance and kitting. According to Mr Bindra the government has plans to develop the hostel at Jalandhar into a hockey academy of repute since Sansarpur in Jalandhar has been known for producing great hockey players.
Meanwhile 20 more SAI coaches in badminton table tennis lawn tennis kabadi and basketball will be posted in various districts to further expand the training facilities in Punjab.
The sports wing of the Punjab Education Department and the Punjab Khed Parishad are being merged in the sports department
The Sports Secretary told newsmen here that a proposal to this effect would be brought before the Governor-in-council at its next meeting.
The proposal which aims to check triplication of efforts for promotion of sports has been pending for many years.
Mr Bindra said there will be no retrenchment and all the employees of the Sports wing of the Education Department and the Khed Parishad will be adjusted in the sports department
Mr Milkha Singh is presently heading the sports wing of the education department.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 22, 1991
