Separate budget to elevate school sports demanded

Punjab’s performance in the Youth Games ‘Khelo India-2025’ held by the Sports Authority of India from May 4 to 15 has fallen from the eighth position last year to the 13th position, due to which the Democratic Teachers’ Front has raised serious questions on the Punjab Government’s school sports policy.

According to the medal tally of these games held in Bihar this year, Maharashtra stood first with 58 gold medals, 47 silver and 53 bronze medals (total medals 158), Haryana came at the second place with 39 gold medals, 27 silver medals and 51 bronze medals (total medals 117) and Rajasthan third with 24 gold medals, 12 silver medals and 24 bronze medals (total medals 60).

On the other hand, Punjab has only eight gold medals, 14 silver and 25 bronze medals. Punjab has won two gold medals each in judo, gatka and shooting, 1 gold medal each in gymnastics and weightlifting, while not a single gold medal has been won in any other sport.

In the games held in Bihar, 250 students from Punjab’s schools and educational institutions had participated, out of which only 47 medals were won.

It is important to mention here that the Sports Department is with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and a budget of Rs 13 crore was kept for the CM’’s pilot project Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan.

“According to data, only 15 per cent of the earmarked budget was allocated to schools, which is proving to be a joke for school games. On the other hand, hundreds of crores are being spent on advertisements,” said Ashwani Awasthi, District head and state finance secretary, DTF.

DTF state president Vikramdev Singh, while talking about the situation, said, “Crores of rupees are being wasted in the name of sports. But the ground reality is that despite the best efforts of teachers and students, they are deprived of quality facilities. Punjab is not even counted among the first 10 positions as far as sports is concerned.”

He claimed that according to the data received, about Rs 20,000 is being spent on a child under the sports quota in Delhi and only Rs 1,200 is being spent per child in Punjab. DTF leaders Jarmanjit Singh, Gurdev Singh, Charanjit Singh Rajdhan, who are also serving as government school teachers, unanimously called for accountability from the state government.

They demand from the government that a separate fund should be allocated to encourage school sports. Sports teachers should be recruited in every school at the primary level and sports should be included as a compulsory subject up to Class XII. The post of Sports Director should be allocated to only a former sportsperson from the state.