6 days ago
Over 15K athletes are participating in Khel Mahakumbh: Saini
The sixth state-level Khel Mahakumbh commenced on Saturday at Panchkula's Tau Devi Lal Stadium. Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini inaugurated the event by initiating a Kabaddi match, boosting the morale of participating athletes. Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini handing over joining letter to a newly selected Group-D employee in Panchkula on Saturday. (Sant Arora/Hindustan Times)
On the occasion, Saini announced that this year's Khel Mahakumbh will see 15,410 athletes from across the state competing in 26 different sports disciplines. He emphasised that this event is not just a competition, but a powerful platform to ignite the dreams of young athletes, providing them state-level recognition and preparing them for national and international contests. The Khel Mahakumbh was first launched in 2017 during Haryana's Swarna Jayanti year, with five successful editions held since.
Saini expressed confidence that Haryana's athletes will win the most medals for India at the 2036 Olympics, bringing glory to the nation on the global stage. He reiterated Haryana's aim for every village to produce an athlete who can hoist the Indian flag on an international platform.
Saini further said that beyond the Khel Mahakumbh, an annual sports calendar ensures various competitions throughout the year, including wrestling, boxing, volleyball, athletics, and more. To nurture talent from a young age, Haryana has 1,489 sports nurseries currently training 37,225 athletes, providing financial aid of ₹1500 per month for 8-14 year olds and ₹ 2000 for 15-19 year olds.
CM also highlighted the 'Haryana Outstanding Sportspersons Service Rules 2021,' which created 550 new positions in the sports department and has already provided government jobs to 224 sportspersons, ensuring direct recruitment reservation from Class-I to Class-IV posts.
Minister of state for sports, youth empowerment, and entrepreneurship Gaurav Gautam noted that over 15,000 athletes participating in 26 sports disciplines in this Khel Mahakumbh represents a larger turnout than even national-level events like Khelo India.
Govt employees are backbone of state admn, says Saini
Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday addressed an introductory programme for newly appointed Group-D employees in Panchkula, stating that government employees are the backbone of the state's administrative system and their role in Haryana's development is crucial. He urged them to work as a team with a spirit of 'public interest paramount' to build a strong, inclusive, and self-reliant Haryana.
Congratulating the employees, CM Saini emphasised that government service is not merely a job but an opportunity to serve the motherland and society. He highlighted that government employees serve as the vital link between the public and the administration.
Taking a jibe at opposition leaders, Saini stated that while some previously promised jobs in exchange for votes, his government has firmly opposed such systems, providing employment solely on merit. He proudly noted that children from poor families are now securing government jobs, fulfilling their dreams.
CM announced that his government has provided 30,000 government jobs in its third tenure, abolishing interviews for Group C and D recruitments, relying instead on written examinations. Additionally, 1.06 lakh youth have been linked to private sector employment through 2,083 job fairs.
Saini also confirmed that Haryana government employees, numbering 2 lakh, will receive the benefits of the unified pension scheme (UPS) from August 1, 2025, mirroring the central government's scheme, with notification issued on July 2.
Youth empowerment and entrepreneurship minister Gaurav Gautam praised CM Saini for fulfilling his promise of providing 24,000 transparent jobs to youth under the 'no recommendation, no money' policy.
CM releases Punjabi translation of 'Balkand' of Ramayana
Chandigarh: Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday released the Punjabi translation of the 'Balkand' from the Ramayana composed by Maharishi Valmiki.
The chief minister thanked the Saptasindhu Valmiki Study Centre and the Haryana Sahitya and Sanskriti Academy for their contribution in accomplishing this significant task. He said that their efforts have gifted society an invaluable cultural treasure, making this day both spiritually enriching and historically important.
