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Taking another revolutionary measure for the growth of sports culture in the Punjab province, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Taimoor Masood distributed cheques of Rs 2,36,00,000 grant money among 29 provincial sports associations at a grand ceremony held at National Hockey Stadium on Friday evening.
Vice-Chairman Sports Board Punjab Malik Nadeem Abbas Bara, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Ehsan Bhutta, Commissioner Lahore/President Punjab Olympic Association Amir Jan, Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi, Director Admin Syed Umair Hassan, CEO Lahore Qalandars Atif Rana, former Test cricketer Aqib Javed, Director Sports Chand Parveen, Deputy Director Tariq Wattoo, Assistant Director Zahoor Ahmed, Secretary Punjab Olympic Association Idris Haider Khawaja and presidents and secretaries of all provincial sports associations were also present on this occasion.
Vice-Chairman Sports Board Punjab Malik Nadeem Abbas Bara also distributed grant money cheques among some provincial sports associations.
Addressing the grand ceremony, Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Taimoor Masood said that it is a historic day because on this day Sports Board Punjab is releasing grant-in-aid money to all provincial sports associations for the promotion of sports culture. “We have fulfilled our promise and now it is the obligation of provincial sports associations to deliver and hold a maximum number of sports events and trace fresh talent in their respective games,” he added.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Taimoor Masood on this occasion announced that the grant money will be given to provincial sports associations every year. Representatives of all provincial sports associations thanked Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Taimoor Masood, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Ehsan Bhutta and Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi for fulfilling their key demand.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Taimoor Masood further said that there is no doubt that provincial sports associations have a key role in the promotion of sports among the young generation. “The annual grant-in-aid to provincial sports associations was a regular feature in the past but it was suspended due to some reasons but now the long-standing demand of provincial sports associations has been fulfilled for which my whole team deserved huge appreciation”.
Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Taimoor Masood further said that Sports Board Punjab will continue to extend every possible support to provincial sports associations for the organization of their sports events. “Recently, we organized the 73rd Punjab Games quite successfully. We also found several talented athletes from the Punjab Games. We are also setting up a network of top-class sports academies of different games. The establishment of a cricket academy adjacent to Punjab Stadium is a latest example in this regard,” he elaborated.
Commissioner Lahore/President Punjab Olympic Association Amir Jan on this occasion repeatedly thanked Punjab Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Taimoor Masood, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Ehsan Bhutta and Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi for fulfilling demand of provincial sports associations. “Definitely, this great measure will help a lot in holding several sports competitions and tracing fresh talent from grassroots level,” he added.
A huge grant of Rs 30 lakh was given to Punjab Olympic Association. As many as 10 provincial sports associations such as Punjab Athletics Association, Punjab Hockey Association, Punjab Modern Pentathlon Association, Punjab Kabaddi Association, Punjab Table Tennis Association, Punjab Wrestling Association, Punjab Badminton Association, Punjab Cycling Association, Punjab Squash Association and Punjab Golf Association were given Rs 10 lakh grant each.
Eight provincial sports associations namely Punjab Baseball Association, Punjab Basketball Association, Punjab Lawn Tennis Association, Punjab Rugby Association, Punjab Touch Ball Association, Punjab Weightlifting Association, Punjab Rifle Shooting Association and Punjab Swimming Association were given Rs 7 lakh grant apiece.
Whereas 10 provincial sports associations namely Punjab Paralympic Association, Punjab Archery Association, Punjab Gymnastic Association, Punjab Handball Association, Punjab Judo Association, Punjab Karate Association, Punjab Netball Association, Punjab Roller Sports Association, Punjab Taekwondo Association and Punjab Wushu Association were given Rs 5 lakh grant each.