Chandigarh, September 26:
As part of the initiatives being taken by the Higher Education Department to provide better sports facilities in the government colleges of the state, administrative approval has been given for Rs 137 lakh grant to 7 government colleges for the construction of sports structures.
Giving this information, Higher Education Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said that the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will leave no stone unturned to create a sports-friendly environment.
Meet Hayer, who also holds the sports department, said that the state government is emphasizing on the creation of sports infrastructure at the grassroots level and according to the number of students of the respective sports in the government colleges, the sports grounds are being prepared there. He said that in the coming time other government colleges will also be given funds for sports to develop new grounds and upgrade existing infrastructures.
Divulging the details of the amount sanctioned to 7 government colleges, the Minister of Higher Education said that Rs.19.41 lakh for 200 meter track and volleyball ground to Government College Danewala Malout, Rs.15.75 lakh to Government College Gurdaspur for the basketball court, Rs 33.11 lakh to Government College Ladhupur (Gurdaspur) for 200 meter track, basketball court and volleyball ground. Similarly, Rs 19.40 lakh for 200 meter track and volleyball ground to Government College Husnar Giddarbaha and funds of Rs 10.85 lakh for LED lights in the volleyball court at S.C.D Government College Ludhiana, Rs.8.48 lakhs for the basketball court of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Government College Tarn Taran and Rs.29.99 lakhs for the renovation of volleyball ground and stadium of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Government College Kotakpura.
The Minister said that instructions have also been given to cornered officials to ensure utilisation of these funds only for allocated works. The technical approval of the estimate should be taken from the competent authority before starting the work. Similarly the responsibility for quality/standard of work will be on XEN.
Before this, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Principal Secretary Jaspreet Talwar under the direction of Higher Education Minister Meet Hayer. In the meeting, DPI (Colleges) Rajiv Gupta said that estimates have been prepared and sent by the said seven government colleges from the Public Works Department. These seven colleges have now been given administrative approval of 137 lakh rupees by the Minister of Higher Education. Principals of other government colleges have been asked to prepare and send estimates from the Public Works Department so that they can also be released money for the construction of sports grounds, the minister added.
