BAHAWALPUR: Punjab Sports and Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan on Sunday inaugurated the district administration’s project for revival and promotion of sports in public schools at the Motiullah Hockey Stadium here.

The project has been initiated by the district administration with its own resources and the cooperation of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has been sought to hunt the sporting talent at the grassroots level and provide the schools with sports material and human resource.

In his inaugural address, the minister welcomed the district administration initiative, saying Bahawalpur’s leading role in sports would be followed by other districts.

He also distributed sports material related to hockey, football and volleyball among 185 government schools of the district.

On the occasion, PHF Secretary Shahbaz Senior vowed to provide four astro turfs for schoolchildren -- one each in Ahmadpur East, Khairpur Tamewali, Hasilpur and Yazman.

He also announced that hockey training and coaching camps would be set up in Bahawalpur, where PHF coaches would be available for schoolchildren.

Earlier, District Coordination Officer Dr Ehtasham Anwar Mahar said the project five percent of the public schools’ budget had been allocated for sports, adding there would be two sports periods in schools instead of one onwards.

He added the posts of physical training instructors (PTIs) in schools would be revived and fresh recruitment made for the purpose. He said central purchase of sports equipment wo rth Rs6 million was made on concessional rates through SCCI. Intra-school sports competitions would also be revived, he added.

The main turf at the hockey stadium would also be replaced, the DCO said.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2016