Punjab CM launches construction of 750 rural stadiums, flags off ambulances

Chandigarh [India], October 2 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday launched several development initiatives including flagging off a fleet of ambulances, construction of 750 rural stadiums or playgrounds and signing of MoU for conferring ownership rights on economically weaker sections.
The MoU was signed between the Local Government Department and Centre for Policy Research, while the ambulances were flagged off in Patiala, Jalandhar and Ludhiana.
The Chief Minister said that the 750 stadiums, being taken up for development at a cost of Rs 105 crore in rural areas, will help channelise the energy of the youth in a constructive manner, under the state government's rural transformation strategy and Tandarust Punjab Mission.
The government has set a target of minimum of five stadiums per block to be completed in 2020-21.
He said the new stadiums villages should be named after eminent sportspersons so as to inspire youth to excel in sports at national and international levels.
Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi said the stadiums would help strengthen the state's sports infrastructure.
The initiative is part of the Smart Village Campaign launched in 2019, under which 19,132 works with a total cost of Rs. 835 crores were taken up for 2019-20 (Phase -1).
The projects under the campaign include Renovation of Ponds, Street lights, Parks, Gymnasiums, Community Halls, Drinking Water Supply, Model Anganwadi Centers, Smart Schools and Solid Waste Management are the integral part the campaign. (ANI)