Cabinet recognize Circle Style Kabaddi to give status it deserves-Sukhbir Singh Badal

Cabinet recognize Circle Style Kabaddi to give status it deserves-Sukhbir Singh Badal


Bajakhana (Faridkot), 3 February

"To give the circle style kabaddi status it deserves the game has given recognition by Punjab cabinet, today", said Deputy Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal. Addressing as a chief guest on the final day of three day 11th International Harjit Memorial Kabaddi Tournament here today, Mr. Badal said that now circle style kabaddi players can avail quota in government services and will be benefited with all those facilities given by state government to sports persons. He also announced that Rs 1 Lack will be given to 1200 villages of the state from coming financial year to provide sports facilities.
Speaking on the occasion Deputy Chief Minister said that SAD-BJP government focused on promoting Hockey and Kabbadi in the state besides encouraging other sports. He said that on the lines of IPL they were going to start World Kabaddi league which is likely to begin by July. He said that the in the international Kabbadi Championship which would be conducted from this year, players from countries like US, Canada, England, Norway, and Pakistan etc. will participate. He said that prize money for winners would be 1 Crore, runners-up Rs.55 Lack and Rs. 25 Lack for second runners-up so that people from all across the country become aware of Punjab's motherly game.
SAD's Young President said that basic idea behind the World Kabaddi League is to bring all kabaddi clubs, both Indian and foreign, under one umbrella. He said that club officials in Canada, US and UK shown interest in this league. He said that 8 teams from Punjab will participate in this league and government had approached state-based corporate houses, urging them to buy teams and the response has been very encouraging.
Sukhbir Badal, who is also the new Sports Minister, wants Punjab to play a pivotal role in reviving hockey. Discussing initiatives taken by government to encourage sports in the state Mr. Badal said that for the first time state is organizing the first-ever Four-Nation Punjab Gold Cup Invitational Hockey Tournament. He said that to promote hockey at grass root level the young hockey trainees from rural areas of Punjab were brought to witness the top world stars in action during the Punjab Gold Cup. He said that state will soon organize a similar hockey tournament for women. "The Punjab Government has already taken steps to broad base sports activities at the grass root level by initiating a Punjab Hockey League which has attracted more than 170 teams from different schools, colleges and sports academies," said Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal. To provide better infrastructure & facilities astroturfs grounds would be setup at Sansarpur (Jalandhar) & Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda) and a world class hockey stadium & coching centre would be set up at Mohali. He said that state government is going to adopt 8 games and every infrastructure and facility would be made available for this purpose.
Discussing the development initiative taken at rural level to promote sports, Mr. Badal said that government had conducted tournaments at village, blocks, districts, zone and state level for the purpose. He said that sports equipment worth Rs. 1.25 Crore had been distributed to 1400 players of different districts of the state.
Mr. Badal announced a grant of Rs. 4 Lack for the development of kabaddi stadium of village Bajakhana besides announcing approval of other demands of the village Panchayat. Among others Chief Parliamentary Secretary Jagdeep Singh Nakai, President Punjab Kabaddi Assosiation Sikander Singh Maluka, SAD candidate for Lok Sabha from Faridkot Parmjeet Kaur Gulshan and SAD's senior Vice President Gurdev Singh Badal.

Regards,