Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif here Wednesday presided over a meeting which took a number of decisions for the promotion of sports and provision of opportunities of healthy activities to the youth in the province. Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly Rana Mashhood Ahmad, Secretary Sports Dr Allah Bakhsh Malik, Secretary Information Mohyuddin Wani, Director General Sports, Director General PHA and District Co-ordination Officer Lahore were present on the occasion.
Deputy Speaker Rana Mashhood Ahmad gave a briefing about the measures taken by the Sports Department for the holding of Punjab Sports Festival 2012 and promotion of sports in the province.
This meeting decided that national games would be arranged in the provincial metropolis in September and October in which players of federal departments and army will also participate. Male and female players from all over the country will take part in this mega event to be organised in Lahore which will promote national unity and strengthen federation. The meeting also decided that prior to national games, Punjab Youth Festival would be organised in July and August. The festival to be started at union council level will help promote traditional culture and social values of Punjab and will result in healthy recreational facilities to the masses.
Similarly, sports academies will be set up at district level for the training of young players on modern lines to enable them display their best performance. The meeting also gave approval to the revival of two per cent sports budget of the district governments, which will be spent on the training of players and provision of modern sports facilities at the district level. It was also decided to formulate a comprehensive strategy to polish the talent and take full benefit from the sports potential of 12 lakh players who will take part in Punjab Sports Festival 2012.
The participants of the meeting were of the view that these players are heroes of Punjab and will earn a good name for the country in the field of sports. The chief minister directed that sports endowment fund be established for the welfare of national heroes who have earned laurels for the country. The setting up of this fund will be a revolutionary step to mitigate the economic problems of veteran players as well as their welfare. He said that provincial youth policy would be announced in the first week of May which will be presented in the next meeting of provincial cabinet for formal approval.
He expressed the hope that Punjab youth policy will help bring the youth into national mainstream and provide them opportunity to display their talent. He said that sports culture promotes healthy social behaviour as well as sportsman spirit and a spirit of competition in the young generation. He said that Punjab government is implementing a comprehensive programme for the promotion of sports activities in the province and holding of Punjab Youth Festival is a part of this policy.