Punjab govt mulling introducing sports as compulsory subject

With neighbouring Haryana's youth winning laurels for the state in sports, Punjab government today said it was mulling on the idea of introducing sports as a compulsory subject in schools.
"We plan to make sports a compulsory subject at school-level like English, Punjabi etc with its own weightage of marks so that young sports persons get encouragement," Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said today at a function of a private University.
The minister gave cash awards worth Rs 15.34 crore to as many as 306 sports persons who had won laurels for Punjab by bagging medals at state, national and international levels in different disciplines during 2010-11 to 2014-15.

Badal, who also holds sports portfolio, said he would hold discussion with the top brass of Punjab Sports department in this connection.
He told the sports persons and the media that a Sports Institute was set up in Punjab while centers for sports excellence were coming up at six places including Mohali, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Gurdaspur, Patiala and Badal.
Ashok Gupta, Secretary Sports Department, Punjab said that the Badal village center will be exclusively for girls and Rs 51 crore were sanctioned for these centers.

Gupta said that the sports department was tying up with Australia, UK and South Africa for getting "know-how for further improving sports".

"Foreign coaches were also being hired for training state sports persons," Gupta said, adding that as many as 125 posts were reserved for outstanding sports persons directly in police every year.
"For such sports persons, who win medals at state, national and international levels, posts of DSPs, ASIs and constables were reserved as per their positions," he said.