Major sports venues to be shifted to solar system: minister

LAHORE: All major grounds and sports complexes of the province will be shifted to solar system and this development will help a lot in saving the plenty of revenue in the shape of electricity charges. Punjab Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Faisal Ayub Khokhar shared this information while presiding over a meeting at the National Hockey Stadium on Thursday.

Parliamentary Secretary for Sports Punjab Anas Mehmood, Secretary Youth Affairs Muzaffar Khan Sial, DG Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Khizar Afzaal, Additional Secretary Sports Mian Usman Ali, Director Admin M Kaleem, Deputy Director Ata ur Rehman participated in the meeting.

Secretary Sports and DG Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab gave an in-depth briefing in the meeting. Addressing the meeting, Faisal Ayub Khokhar said that the process of locating suitable place has started for the construction of International Sports City. “The SNE is ready for new recruitments in Punjab Sports Department. There are 131 sports schemes on which working is underway across the province,” he informed.

He further said that the phase one of the International Squash Complex has been completed while the foundation stone laying ceremony of phase two will be held in January in which all top squash heroes will be invited.

He announced the construction of new baseball grounds in several cities of Punjab. “These baseball grounds will be built in the next Annual Development Programme (ADP)”. Faisal Khokhar said that the Chief Minister Punjab Internship Programme is preparing the youth for the development of the country “As many as 600 students of Chief Minister Internship will be invited in a ceremony to be held in March next year,” he added.

He informed that 52 multi-purpose sports complexes are being built in Punjab. “Necessary changes are being made in the constitution of Sports Board Punjab for the development of sports in the province and the Law Department has okayed the changes in constitution of Sports Board Punjab”. He said that all the rental contracts of Punjab will be renewed to increase the income of the sports department. “The mount of rent will be as per rate of market value.