Chandigarh, September 5 - Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal said that today Haryana is setting an example with its sports model in the entire country. Seeing the number of medals being won by sportspersons from Haryana at the international level, other states are also emulating the model being implemented by Haryana. To understand this model, a team from Gujarat is coming to Haryana on a 15-day tour.
The Chief Minister was speaking as the Chief Guest at the felicitation ceremony of Olympic medalist, Sh. Bajrang Punia at village Khudan in Jhajjar district on Sunday. BJP State President, Sh. O.P. Dhankar, Haryana Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs, Sh. Sandeep Singh, MP Rohtak, Dr. Arvind Sharma, and MP, Gonda and Wrestling Association President, Sh. Brij Bhushan Sharan honoured wrestler Sh. Bajrang Punia during the ceremony. During the felicitation ceremony, the Chief Minister announced to fulfill all the demands made by Khudan village, for which the villagers thanked the Chief Minister. Wrestler, Bajrang Punia was overwhelmed to receive the respect from the Haryana Government and the villagers.The Chief Minister said that wrestler Sh. Bajrang Punia has brought laurels to India and Haryana all over the world. He said that the present government is making continuous efforts to promote sports and sportspersons. He said that in the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, the winning players of Haryana are being given full respect by the Government. For Olympics, the gold medalist is being awarded Rs 6 crore, silver medalist Rs 4 crore and bronze medalist Rs 2.5 crore. Sh. Manohar Lal said that under the new Sports Policy of Haryana, the sports model is now being presented as an example in the whole country. The Chief Minister said that the state would now perform even more brilliantly in the upcoming Olympics following the motto of Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan and Jai Pehalwan.
The Chief Minister further said that there is a plan to expand the target of 500 sports nurseries to 1000 in the State, under which budding sportspersons will be trained at the school level itself.
The State is also organizing Khelo India, in which more than 15,000 players will participate. The Chief Minister said that he has full faith that Haryana will remain at the forefront of the entire country at this sports event as well.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that along with sports, the government is emphasizing on education and employment, so skill development has been given priority in the curriculum. During the ceremony, Sh. Bajrang Punia’s coaches, Sh. Satpal Pehelwan, Sh. Ramphal Mann and Sh. Virendra Arya, were honoured as gurus, and an amount of Rs 4 lakh each was announced for them by the Haryana Government. Along with this, instructions were given to the Sports Director to provide one coach, gardener or watchman and grass cutting machine in all the sports stadiums located in Jhajjar district.
Haryana is the crown of the country in sports and Jhajjar is the gem in that crown: Dhankar
BJP state President, Sh. OP Dhankar, while addressing the gathering during the felicitation ceremony of wrestler Sh. Bajrang Punia, said that if people across the country consider Haryana the crown of the country in sports, then Jhajjar is a gem in this crown. The wrestlers of Jhajjar have brought laurels to the country on the basis of their hard work and dedication. Haryana sportspersons have won medals in every world level competition. Sh. Dhankar also said that our youth are excelling in sports, farmers are leading in crop production and jawans have laid down their lives for the country. There is no dearth of talent and valour in our youth.Sh. Dhankar also saluted the hard work of wrestler Sh. Bajrang Punia's father Sh. Balwan Singh and his coaches at the felicitation ceremony.
While sharing his views, Minister of State for Sports, Sh. Sandeep Singh said that Haryana is not only taking forward sports and sportspersons, but is also moving ahead with the goal of providing all possible services to the players even if they are injured with the construction of four Rehabilitation Centres for health services. He informed that the process of construction of the first centre in Panchkula has already started.
Wrestling Association President and Gonda MP, Sh. Brij Bhushan Sharan,while appreciating the Haryana Government, said that other states are now adopting Haryana’s policy in order to encourage their sportspersons.
Gold medal will be the target in 2024: Bajrang
Bronze medalist wrestler, Sh. Bajrang Punia expressed his gratitude for the honour being given by the Haryana government. He said that he has already started practicing for the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024, with the goal of winning gold medal.