Govt support lacking, Punjab shooters turn to private ranges

Rachna Khaira

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Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 26

Despite a lack of proper support from the state government and the state association, shooting is spreading in Punjab. And it’s all because of the numerous private shooting clubs that have mushroomed across the state in the past few years.

As compared to 2014, there has been a big increase in participation at the junior level tournaments in the state. “Though Punjab has shown little improvement at the senior level, the participation has almost doubled in the junior level championships. It is an encouraging sign,” said Raninder Singh, president of the National Rifle Shooting Association (NRSA).

This has happened despite the Punjab Rifle Shooting Association (PRSA) and the Punjab Sports Department not providing proper infrastructure, enough coaches and ammunition for the budding shooters. There are only two coaches, both ad-hoc, working for the sports department in the entire state.

In the absence of a proper set-up, the private clubs, though, highly expensive (fee ranging from Rs 5000 to Rs 15,000 per month), are the only option available for budding shooters. “The shooters are forced to pay hefty amount to use private shooting ranges and even buy ammunition from the black market at a much higher rate,” the secretary of one of the district units of PRSA said.

He added that the district units get little support from PRSA, adding that the state association’s role has been limited to organising tournaments. “We just get around 3000 to 5000 rounds in a year, whereas a budding shooter requires around 10,000 rounds a year,” said the secretary of another district unit.

A Sangrur-based shooter said he was spending Rs 25000 per month on private training. “Not many can afford to pay this much. The government must provide some aid to the budding shooters,” he said.

Vice-president of PRSA Parminder Singh Brar said that the state government has released Rs 6 crore to PRSA for the upgradation of the infrastructure in the state. “Punjab would soon become the first state in the country to have laser targets in its shooting ranges,” said Brar.