Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday sought support and cooperation from the Centre to eradicate the drug menace from the State through the promotion of sports to channelise unbounded energy of youth in a positive manner.
Badal, who called on Union Minister of State for Sports Sarbnanda Sonowal, impressed upon him to generously help the state in combating curse of drugs by funding sports projects and related infrastructure.
He apprised the Union Minister that the State Government was already making strenuous efforts for promoting sports to check drug addiction in the State but this daunting task could not be accomplished without adequate support of the Union Government.
Flagging up another issue, Badal asked Sonowal to establish Center of Excellence in Hockey at Jalandhar and that of Football in Mahilpur (Hoshiarpur), as both these places have produced several renowned players of these games and were known as the nurseries of Hockey and Football players.
Badal also underscored the need for setting up Center of Excellence for Martial Arts in Sri Anandpur Sahib, so that the traditional games of Punjab could get a big boost.
He urged Sonowal to revive pristine glory of National Institute of Sports (NIS), Patiala, which have been eroded due to the callous attitude of the previous Union Government over a period of several years.
“The need of the hour is to further strengthen this premier institute so that the glorious legacy of producing world class players from the region could be carried on,” said Badal asking the Minister to depute some foreign coaches so that world class training facilities could be provided to the budding players of the region.
Sonowal assured the Chief Minister that the Centre would make every effort to promote sports in the State so as to wipe out the curse of drug addiction from Punjab.