DHINDSA THANKS DY CM FOR GIVING NOD TO CORPUS FUND FOR SPORTSPERSON

Says Deputy CM’s landmark decisions will strengthen sports culture

Says decisions give new place to Punjab on Sports Map

Chandigarh, July 3: President of Punjab Olympic Association and Member Rajya Sabha Mr. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa today thanked Punjab Deputy Chief Minister for giving in principal approval to create a corpus fund for the welfare of sports stars in distress and crisis besides predicting that decisions taken by Mr. Badal will strengthen sports culture in the state.

In a statement, Mr. Dhindsa said that the general body of Punjab Olympic Association (P.O.A.) had chalked out a programme for lifting the standard of sports in the state and a meeting was held with Deputy Chief Minister for giving it concrete shape. He said that the Deputy Chief Minister accepted the major demand of the general body under which Inter District Games would be held. Mr. Dhindsa informed that it was also decided to give jobs to 125 top sportspersons of the state.

Divulging more details, Mr. Dhindsa said that the Deputy Chief Minister immediately accepting the demand of various sports associations affiliated with the P.O.A. decided to release grant of Rs. 2 Lakh to each association. He said the the Deputy Chief Minister asked the Secretary Sports to constitute a Corpus fund which would help the sportspersons in their hour of distress.

Disclosing more, Mr. Dhindsa said that acceding to the demand of the P.O.A., the Deputy Chief Minister immediately announced a grant of Rs. 2 Lakh for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics gold medallist hockey player Hardayal Singh. He said that the P.O.A. expressed its deepest gratitude to the Deputy Chief Minister for this gesture.

The Secretary General of the Punjab Olympic Association Raja K.S. Sidhu on this occasion said that it was due to the support of Punjab Government that the Punjab Olympic Bhawan came into existence and now the memorabilia comprising the photographs and achievements of the famous players would be preserved in the ‘Hall of Fame’ to be constructed at the Bhawan.