Punjab's poor performance in Khelo India Youth Games reflects government negligence: Teachers' front
Chandigarh: The
Democratic Teachers' Front
(DTF) has strongly criticised the Punjab govt for the state's disappointing performance in the Khelo India Youth Games 2025, calling it a direct consequence of the govt's failure to promote grassroots sports.
The games, held in Bihar from May 4 to 15 under the Sports Authority of India, saw Punjab fall from 8th position last year to 13th this year. Out of more than 250 participating students from the state, Punjab managed to win only 47 medals — 8 gold, 14 silver, and 25 bronze — raising serious concerns about the state of sports development in Punjab.
In comparison, Maharashtra topped the medal tally with 158 medals (58 gold, 47 silver, and 53 bronze), followed by Haryana with 117 and Rajasthan with 60.
Punjab's gold medals came from only a handful of sports, with two each in Judo, Gatka, and Shooting, and one each in Gymnastics and Weightlifting. No gold medals were won in any other discipline, pointing to the lack of depth in the state's sports performance.
DTF leaders, including state president Vikramdev Singh, general secretary Mahinder Kaurianwali, and finance secretary Ashwani Awasthi, held that only 15% of the Rs 13 crore allocated for sports was spent on school-level initiatives.
They criticised the govt for spending hundreds of crores on publicity campaigns while neglecting foundational infrastructure in schools.
The DTF compared Punjab's situation with Delhi, where approximately Rs 20,000 per child is spent under the sports quota, while in Punjab, the figure stands at a meagre Rs 1,200. The body called for a separate and dedicated budget for school sports, the recruitment of physical education teachers at the primary level, and making sports a compulsory subject up to Class XII.
They also emphasised that the position of sports director should be held by someone with an athletic background, preferably an Olympian, who can take independent decisions to strengthen sports development in the state.
Additionally, DTF leaders Rajiv Barnala, Gurpiyar Kotli, Beant Phullewal, Jagpal Bhangi, Harjinder Wadala Bangar, and Raghveer Bhawanigarh demanded that a professionally trained officer with a sports background be appointed to oversee all sports-related responsibilities in the Punjab school education department. They stressed the urgent need to replace empty slogans with real action and urged the govt to formulate a comprehensive sports policy in consultation with experts to build a lasting sports culture in the state.
MSID:: 121213554 413 |
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
GVMC opens new sports complex in Gajuwaka
Visakhapatnam: The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has developed the Rajiv sports complex, located in Vikas Nagar, with several sporting facilities, including an indoor stadium, swimming pool, and cultural centre. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The corporation spent approximately Rs 9 crore on the development of the stadium, utilising GVMC general funds and SCAP funds. GVMC mayor P Srinivasa Rao, along with Visakhapatnam MP M Sribharat, TDP state president and Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao, deputy mayor Dalli Govindaraju, and 65th ward corporator Boddu Narasimha Pathrudu, jointly inaugurated the newly developed sports facilities at the Rajiv sports complex. As part of the inauguration, a badminton court was officially opened inside the indoor stadium, where the dignitaries took part in a game of badminton. Addressing the gathering, the mayor said that, as Gajuwaka is an industrial hub, there is a strong need to provide a recreational and wellness-oriented sports complex for the public. He urged residents to maintain cleanliness and make regular use of the facilities to safeguard their health. Vizag MP M Sribharat expressed his pleasure at such a state-of-the-art stadium being made accessible to the people of Gajuwaka. He suggested to the Mayor that a pickleball court also be established at the complex soon. He noted that, due to increasing dependence on mobile phones, people are neglecting physical activity, exercise, and mental well-being, leading to various health issues. He called on parents to encourage their children to participate in sports, highlighting the vital role that sports play in promoting good health. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now TDP state president and Gajuwaka MLA Shri Palla Srinivasa Rao recalled that the initial foundation for the Rajiv sports complex was laid by former mayor Pulusu Janardhan Rao. He expressed his gratitude to the current Mayor for further developing the complex and making it available to the public.
Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
4 yrs on, govt college in Haridwar continues to face infrastructure challenges
Haridwar: Nearly four years after a govt degree college was established in Haridwar's Bhupatwala, following a long-standing public demand and an initiative led by the then education minister Madan Kaushik, the institute continues to operate out of a rented building, lacking basic infrastructure required for a proper academic environment. Despite these limitations, the college offers the widest range of undergraduate courses in Haridwar, including 10 subjects in arts, and 5 in the sciences, and commerce. Notably, it also has the highest number of regular faculty members — 17 in total — among other colleges in the city. However, student enrolment remains low. "When I retired last year on June 30, the number of students was just 300," said Dinesh Kumar Shukla, the college's founding principal. Shukla mentioned that the Nagar Nigam Haridwar, in a resolution, had agreed to grant the college 16 bigha of land near Pavan Dham, but later demanded Rs 47 crore for it. "It is now for the state govt to take a decision in the matter," he said. The current principal, Sanjiv Mehrotra, said the resolution did not mention if the land would be given for free. He said that as per govt rules, a college can be built only on free or donated land. Presently, the college is being run from five rooms of an ashram, which are too small to be used as classrooms. "There are no laboratories for science subjects, no library, no office, and no basic amenities for the staff or the students. The principal's office accommodates both the principal and clerks. With other rooms used by the ashram, it is difficult to maintain a teaching atmosphere there," a college employee said. Expressing regret that the college was not serving the purpose it was meant for, Mehrotra said, "In the absence of infrastructure, students in the city are unable to benefit from it. We earnestly hope that the govt will take necessary steps to make it better serve the students, especially in the northern part of the city." Notably, students in the area have to struggle to travel to other colleges in Haridwar as it is worst affected by traffic during numerous fairs and festivals held in the holy city. Addressing the issue, Haridwar mayor Kiran Jaisal told TOI that the matter would come up for discussion at the next meeting of Nagar Nigam. "Hopefully, a favourable decision will be taken about it," she said.
Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
India supplies arms to 92 countries: Defence MoS Sanjay Seth
Shimla: Union minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth said on Tuesday that India has transitioned from an importer to an exporter, with defence exports worth approximately Rs 23,500 crore last year. "We are supplying arms to 92 countries, with a defence export target of Rs 50,000 crore this year and Rs 3 lakh crore by 2029," said Seth during a presser in Shimla. Focusing on the achievements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA govt's 11-year tenure, the Union minister stated that India's defence budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 is Rs 2.81 lakh crore, up from approximately Rs 2.53 lakh crore in 2013-14. Previously known as an importing nation, India now produces its own bulletproof jackets and boots, making our forces self-reliant. Seth was accompanied by former chief minister and present leader of the opposition Jairam Thakur, state BJP president Dr Rajeev Bindal, Shimla MP and Air Force veteran Suresh Kashyap. Seth said that India has become the fourth-largest economy in the world and is on the path to becoming the third-largest. "India is confident of achieving the goal of a developed nation by 2047 with Modi's visionary leadership," he added. "When the Ukraine-Russia war began, India safely evacuated 23,000 students, and students from 28 countries left safely under the Indian flag," said Seth. "Under Operation Kaveri , over 3,000 Indians were brought back safely, and after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, it was the first time such a significant military operation was conducted against a nuclear-armed country. Indian armed forces eliminated terrorists in 23 minutes, destroying their 11 air bases," he added. MSID:: 121754401 413 |
