CM Bhagwant Singh Mann inaugurates 250 Pendu Khed Maidan with world-class facilities, says international-level athletes will emerge from Punjab’s villages
- 3,100 Pendu Khed Maidans are being developed across Punjab, and all will be inaugurated in phased manner by July 15: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann
- AAP Govt’s objective is to keep youth away from drugs & nurture athletes capable of competing at national and international levels: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann
- All Pendu Khed Maidans will have floodlights, walking & running tracks, and courts for volleyball, football, and hockey: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann
- Our govt will provide sports equipment, coaches, and free training to players at every rural sports ground: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann
- For first time, Punjab has been given opportunity to host Asian Hockey Championship trophy, which will be held in October: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann
- Earlier, sports budget used to be less than ₹200 crore, whereas our govt has allocated ₹1,790 crore: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann
- Traditional Kila Raipur bullock cart race, known as ‘Pind Olympics’, has been revived through legal amendments: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann
- Previous govts used to claim treasury was empty; our govt is carrying out development worth crores in every village from same treasury: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann
- CM Bhagwant Singh Mann connects with village athletes, distributes kits & joins female athletes on volleyball court
SAS NAGAR (MOHALI); 4th May 2026 (WISHAVWARTA);- Punjab’s villages are being put at the centre of a sweeping sports transformation, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann inaugurating 250 ‘Pendu Khed Maidans’ (rural sports grounds) equipped with world-class facilities and laying out an ambitious roadmap to develop 3,100 such grounds across the state by July 15. Declaring sports as a direct response to the challenge of drug abuse among youth, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government, led by CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, is not just building infrastructure but backing it with free training, professional coaches, and fully equipped grounds designed to produce athletes capable of competing at national and international levels.
The scale of investment underlines this shift, with the sports budget rising from under ₹200 crore earlier to ₹1,790 crore, alongside efforts to revive Punjab’s sporting legacy through the return of the Kila Raipur ‘Pind Olympics’. With Punjab also set to host the Asian Hockey Championship for the first time, the Bhagwant Mann government is signalling a clear intent to place the state firmly on the national and global sports map while driving development in every village from the same treasury that previous governments had claimed was empty.
After inaugurating 250 newly constructed Pendu Khed Maidans, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the AAP Government is undertaking a large-scale push to transform the state’s sports ecosystem, with a clear focus on steering youth away from drugs and channelising their energy into productive avenues. “Promotion of sports culture can be the most effective tool in the state government’s crusade against drugs. With the promotion of sports, the unbounded energy of the youth is being utilised for excelling in sports. The youth who are involved in sports have no time even to look at drugs because they are using all their might to excel in their respective fields,” he said.
He added, “This will go a long way in eliminating the curse of drugs from the state and making the youth an equal partner in socio-economic development.”
Detailing the масштаб of the initiative, the Chief Minister said, “With the objective of ensuring a healthy body and a sound mind, the Punjab Government is developing 3,100 Pendu Khed Maidans equipped with modern facilities across the state in the first phase, at a cost of ₹1,250 crore. Out of these, 250 grounds are being dedicated to the public today, and all 3,100 will be dedicated by July 15.” He further outlined the phased rollout, stating, “250 grounds have been dedicated today, 500 will be dedicated on May 15, 250 on May 31, 500 on June 15, 1,000 on June 30 and 600 on July 15.”
Emphasising the role of these grounds in the anti-drug campaign, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “These Pendu Khed Maidans will play a revolutionary role in the ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ campaign. They will encourage youth to stay away from substance abuse and help them achieve their dreams of winning medals at national and international levels. These grounds will act as a beacon of hope and opportunity for budding players and will promote sports culture in Punjab.”
Highlighting the facilities, he said, “Each ground will have fenced boundaries with plantation along the perimeter and a six-foot-wide walking track with floodlights for early morning and evening use. There will be courts for volleyball, football, and hockey along with additional courts based on locally popular sports.” He added, “Facilities will also include a 400-metre six-lane running track, high-capacity lighting, submersible pumps with sprinkler systems, concrete benches, children’s play areas, toilets for men and women, wheelchair ramps, and storage for sports equipment.”
On training and support, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “Special focus is being laid on distributing sports kits and equipment and imparting quality training to the youth. Football and volleyball coaches will be appointed at all grounds, and free training will be provided to children so that they can excel at national and international levels.” He further said, “Village Sports and Fitness Committees will be formed for maintenance of these grounds.”
Underlining the financial commitment, he said, “The state has witnessed a historic increase in the sports budget, with ₹1,791 crore allocated for 2026–27. A new sports policy introduced in 2023 ensures financial support for preparation, including ₹15 lakh for Olympics and ₹8 lakh for Asian Games.” He added, “Paris Olympics bronze medal-winning hockey players were awarded ₹1 crore each, Asian Games gold medallists were also awarded ₹1 crore each, and nine Olympic medalists have been given PCS and DSP jobs.”
Speaking about grassroots participation, the Chief Minister said, “‘Khedan Watan Punjab Dian’ has fostered a strong sports culture in the state. These games were organised for three years to prepare youth for national and international competitions, with 5 lakh players participating in 2024–25 and ₹97.3 crore spent over three years.”
On reviving traditional sports, he said, “Kila Raipur Rural Games have earned global recognition as the ‘Mini Olympics’. On July 11, 2025, the Punjab Legislative Assembly unanimously passed the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Punjab Amendment) Act, 2025, enabling the revival of traditional rural sports such as bullock cart races. After 2014, this year’s races once again became a major attraction.”
Highlighting Punjab’s growing stature in sports, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “It is a matter of immense pride that for the first time Punjab has got the opportunity to host an international event in the form of the Asian Champions Trophy Hockey. Despite strong Punjabi representation, Punjab had never hosted a major hockey tournament until now. Matches will be held at Balbir Singh Sr. Hockey Stadium and Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar.”
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann connects with village athletes, distributes kits & joins women players on the volleyball court
Adding a personal and encouraging touch to the event, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann interacted closely with young athletes from the village, distributed sports kits, and felicitated them for their enthusiasm and dedication towards sports. In a gesture that drew appreciation from the gathering, he also actively joined women athletes on the volleyball court, playing alongside them and motivating them to pursue sports with confidence and commitment.
The Bhagwant Mann government’s focus is not just on building infrastructure but also on fostering confidence, inclusion, and a strong sporting culture at the grassroots level.
Cabinet Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond and others were also present on the occasion.
