Pb CM asks officials to work out modalities for sports univ

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Monday directed the state's sports department to work out the modalities for setting up a sports university in Patiala.

The chief minister also asked the officials to seek clearance from the finance department and present the legislation before the council of ministers in the next Cabinet meeting.

Amarinder said the university should be in line with the draft legislation submitted to him by the steering committee headed by International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Randhir Singh.

A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said Randhir Singh discussed the draft legislation with the CM and sports minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, at the PGIMER hospital where Amarinder is recuperating after undergoing a surgery for kidney stone removal.

The spokesperson further said that once the proposal is cleared by the cabinet, the process for other requisite formalities would be initiated on fast track.

The university would generate capabilities for the development of knowledge, skills and competence at various levels in the fields of physical education and sports sciences, sports technology and high-performance training of all sports and games.

It would also provide the best coaching facilities and state-of-the-art infrastructure, besides efficient institutional support and ecosystem to budding athletes to tap their potential at an early stage, the spokesperson added.

Reiterating his personal commitment to provide a healthy supporting environment to state athletes, Amarinder asked the sports minister to provide all possible assistance and cooperation to aspiring youth preparing for various national and international sports events.

The steering committee, set up by the chief minister, was mandated to examine the existing national and international models of sports universities and submit a draft to the government.