Jalandhar, January 27
As many as 13 countries have given their consent for the World Cup Kabaddi to be held in Punjab soon.

Stating this, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal while addressing the gathering after laying the foundation stone for upgrading Guru Gobind Singh Stadium here today said the SAD-BJP government brought kabaddi on the world map by holding the World Cup Kabaddi last year. Apart from organising the World Cup, the Kabaddi League would also be held in Punjab soon, he added.

Speaking regarding traditional games of Punjab, he said the new sports policy was focused on providing sufficient number of astroturfs all over the state so that budding talent of hockey could get practice on the it.

He said the government was committed to restore preeminence of Punjab Hockey players in Indian Hockey team.

Focusing on nurturing traditional games at the grass-roots level, Sukhbir said for the first time the Punjab Government was organising the Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Punjab Games from February 28 in which players of 10 disciplines of the games would vie for Rs 25 lakh prize in each game.

The Deputy CM said for the first time after Independence Rs 100 crore had been earmarked for the Sports Department. He said 13 world-class stadiums, including stadium in Jalandhar, would be ready by August 15.

Hoshiarpur, January 27
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal dedicated projects worth Rs 117 crore to the people of Hoshiarpur today. The projects included underground sewerage, multipurpose outdoor stadium and deep tubewells.

Addressing a rally at Roshan Ground here, Sukhbir Badal claimed Punjab under the SAD-BJP Government had made unprecedented development in all areas and this development had made the Congress jittery.

“All national and international surveys rated Punjab no.1 state in the country as far as infrastructural development in the past four years is concerned,” he said.

He said Punjab had already achieved substantial progress in linking all cities with four and six lane roads, laid at a cost of Rs 6,669 crore. He said in the past four years, 33 ROBs and RUBs have been constructed at a cost of Rs 702 crore. Work on 24 more ROBs was in advanced stage of construction that would be completed in this year, he added.

Lashing out at Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Amarinder Singh, he said the former Chief Minister during his 5-year tenure could not recruit a single employee where as the SAD-BJP government recruited 48,000 teachers, 11,000 police constables and made recruited thousands in food and supplies, excise and taxation, revenue and many other departments.

It was a matter of record that all these recruitments were done in most transparent manner and every candidate was selected on pure merit, claimed the Deputy Chief Minister. He said he was happy that a son of cobbler and safai karamchari was recruited as a Food and Supply Inspector. It happened because these recruitments were merit based.

He regretted that Amarinder Singh in the very first cabinet meeting imposed a ban on recruitment and left schools in a shambles with 45,000 vacancies.

Addressing the gathering, Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia said the government spent more than Rs 17,000 crore to boost urban infrastructure and civic amenities. He said target was to provide underground sewerage in all cities and vegetable markets of Punjab.

Thanking Sukhbir Singh Badal, Punjab Medical Education and Research Minister Tikshan Sud said Hoshiarpur got record projects during the SAD-BJP government. Besides providing bridges on all choes, Hoshiarpur was proud to have first city in the state to have modern bus stand.

Garhshankar, January 27
Taking note of the violation of Section 4 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA) by some members of the land mafia at Chadiani-Kalan village, near here, a team of forest officials visited the site to take stock of the situation.

Garhshankar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Tajinder Singh said Manjit Singh, a Canada-based NRI, who had purchased the land, was doing excavation at Chadiani-Kalan village. He said Manjit Singh claimed to own over 16 acres of cultivable land in the village.

The DFO claimed to have a filed case against Manjit Singh in a Civil Court at Balachaur, which will come up for hearing in March.

Nawanshahr, January 27
Punjab Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Hira Singh Gabhria, accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Shruti Singh and SSP Narinder Bhargav, unfurled the national flag and took salute from the contingents of the Punjab Police, Home Guards, NCC cadets, Scouts, Girl Guides and ex-servicemen at the district-level Republic Day function organised at the ITI Grounds here on Wednesday.

Addressing the gathering, after paying tributes to the martyrs and freedom fighters, Gabhria said during the past four years the state had witnessed unprecedented development.

He honoured 25 freedom fighters and 20 prominent personalities who have excelled in different fields. Besides, 20 sewing machines and five tricycles were given to the poor and needy women and physically challenged persons.

The minister announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh for the students who participated in the cultural programme.

Phagwara: Chief Parliamentary Secretary Nand Lal hoisted the national flag on the Republic Day function held here on Wednesday.

The SDM, Amarjit Paul, SP, Kamaljit Singh Dhillon, DSP Sandip Sharma, Nagar Council president, Balbhadhar Sein Duggal, Improvement Trust Chairman, Tejaswi Bhardwaj, Executive Officer, Sandip Tiwari, Market Committee Chairman, Sarwan Singh Kular, and Civil Judge (Senior Division) Phagwara, Arun Aggarwal, were present on the occasion.

Nand Lal distributed eight sewing machines and two tri-cycles among the needy. Freedom fighter Kali Charan Sood was honoured. Cultural programmes were presented by school students.

In other functions, former minister Joginder Singh Maan unfurled the national flag at a school, Nagar Council president Balbhadhar Sein Duggal at the Nagar Council office, Improvement Trust Chairman Tejaswi Bhardwaj at the trust office, Station Superintendent Bhushan Nandwani at the railway station and Market Committee Chairman Sarwan Singh Kular at the Market office.

Phillaur: The SDM, Pritam Singh, hoisted the Tricolour on the Republic Day function held here on Wednesday. He distributed sewing machines and tricycles among the needy persons and honoured prominent citizens.

Punjab Police Academy Director Rohit Chaudhary unfurled the national flag at the academy on Wednesday.

Chief Parliamentry Secretary Sarwan Singh Phillaur hoisted the national flag at a nearby school.

Nakodar: Chief Parliamentry Secretary Sohan Singh Thandal hoisted the national flag at Nakodar on Republic Day on Wednesday. The SDM and DSP were also present. A cultural programme was presented by school students.

Batala: Republic Day was celebrated at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Kahnuwan Road, here on Wednesday.

Rahul Chabba, SDM, unfurled the national flag. A parade was held in which Punjab Police personnel, Home Guards jawans, special police officers, NCC cadets, Scouts, Girl Guides and schoolchildren participated. A cultural programme was also organised. The SDM honoured Jugal Mahajan for excelling in the field of arts, and Jagdeesh Singh, national karate champion, excelling in the field of sports.

The program ended with the national anthem and distribution of sweets.

Tarn Taran: Punjab Technical Education Minister Swarna Ram unfurled the national flag at the district-level function organised on the Republic Day here on Wednesday.

The minister took salute from the contingents of the Punjab Police, Home Guards, NCC cadets and students.

Bhupinder Singh Khera, president of the Municipal Council (MC) unfurled the national flag on the MC’s premises.

Hoshiarpur: Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, unfurled the national flag and took march past salute from the contingents of the BSF, Police Recruits of PRTC, Jahan Khelan, Punjab Police, Home Guards, Ex-servicemen, girl guides, scouts on India’s 62nd Republic Day here yesterday.

The function was organised at local Police Ground.

The District Red Cross Society distributed 20 sewing machines, 15 tricycles and 3 wheelchairs to the needy. Teachers, government employees, students and social workers, who did commendable job in their fields, were honoured on the occasion.

Impressed by the cultural programme and mass PT show staged by the students, Kahlon announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh to the participants.