Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday met the state players awarded with the Arjuna Award and their coach at Haryana Bhavan in New Delhi and honoured them.
Congratulating Wrestlers Sunil Kumar, Antim Panghal and Golfer Diksha Dagar who were honoured with the Arjuna Award in the National Sports Awards 2023, the Chief Minister sought suggestions from these athletes on how sports in Haryana could be further promoted.
Responding to this, the athletes praised Haryana's sports policy, stating that it has boosted the morale of athletes, and the youth are now more inclined towards sports due to this Pro-player Policy. In the state villages, the youth are now practising sports to make a future in them.
Khattar said that Haryana is giving the highest cash rewards to medal winners in the country and assured that the government would implement any good suggestions given by athletes to give a further boost to the sports infrastructure and facilities.
During a discussion with the athletes, the Chief Minister inquired about the need for sports equipment in villages through District Sports Officers. Following the demands, sports equipment will be made available through gram panchayats. A foundational framework for sports will be developed from village to village in Haryana so that the youth can be nurtured since childhood. Plans are also underway to establish specialised high-power performance centres to train youth in popular sports, said Khattar.
On this occasion, Arjuna Awardees Sunil Kumar and Antim Panghal said that Haryana's sports policy has given a boost to sports, especially in wrestling, where Haryana has achieved a separate status. Regardless of the competition, Haryana's wrestlers are shining bright and are winning medals. Arjuna Awardee Yogeshwar Dutt, who accompanied the players during the meeting with the Chief Minister, said that from the perspective of sports, Haryana is a prosperous state. Suggestions were also given to the Chief Minister during the meeting to further promote wrestling in the state. He said that the Chief Minister has been consistently making efforts to promote sports.