Patiala, August 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday dedicated 509 modern Pendu Khed Maidan across various districts in the second phase of the state’s grassroots sports programme, saying the initiative will strengthen Punjab’s fight against drugs by giving rural youngsters better opportunities to pursue sports.
The Chief Minister inaugurated the facilities from Patiala and said the state government aims to complete 3,100 Pendu Khed Maidan across Punjab during 2026. He said the first phase had covered 255 grounds, while 509 were being dedicated in the second phase.
The 509 newly dedicated grounds include 43 in Ludhiana, 41 in Mansa, 36 in Sangrur, 34 each in Bathinda and Patiala, 33 in Sri Muktsar Sahib and 32 in Amritsar, besides facilities in other districts.
Mann said the playgrounds would promote the message of “Say No to Drugs, Say Yes to Sports” and support the government’s ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ campaign.
“These Pendu Khed Maidan will not only make Punjab healthier but will also give youngsters the message of ‘Say No to Drugs, Say Yes to Sports’,” he said, adding that the facilities would create opportunities for budding sportspersons at the grassroots level.
The grounds will have facilities for volleyball, football, cricket and other traditional sports, along with football goalposts, volleyball poles, children’s swings and sports equipment based on the popularity of particular games in individual villages. High-mast lights will enable night-time sporting activities, while footlights along walking tracks and chain-link fencing have also been provided. Plantation around the grounds is being undertaken to promote greenery.
Mann said the facilities would also encourage children and senior citizens to participate in physical activities and would serve as centres of community interaction.
₹1,744-crore sports budget
The Chief Minister said Punjab had earmarked ₹1,744 crore for sports in 2026, including ₹1,500 crore specifically for Pendu Khed Maidan. He said the state had dedicated 2026 to sports and sportspersons.
He said a total of 600 international-standard rural gyms were planned, with 500 already completed, according to the government’s programme.
Mann said the fourth season of Khedan Wattan Punjab Diyan would begin from Bathinda on September 5, with an estimated participation of 10 lakh players.
He also announced that Punjab would host the Hockey Asian Champions Trophy for the first time, with matches scheduled in Jalandhar and Mohali during October-November.
A T20 cricket league on the lines of the IPL, the She-e-Punjab T20 League, will be held at the PCA Stadium in Mohali from August 30 to September 13, he said.
₹135 crore distributed to sportspersons
Highlighting the government’s sports policy introduced in 2023, Mann said ₹135 crore in prize money had been distributed among 40,415 sportspersons since 2022.
He said athletes preparing for major international events were also receiving financial assistance, including ₹15 lakh for Olympic preparation and ₹8 lakh for preparation for the Asian and Commonwealth Games.
According to the Chief Minister, 85 sportspersons have received the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award, while 11 sportspersons who brought laurels to Punjab at national and international levels have been appointed as PCS/DSP officers.
Mann said the government was working to build a strong sporting ecosystem in Punjab and provide young people with the infrastructure and opportunities required to excel.
He also said the government’s political priorities centred on fighting corruption, drugs and unemployment, alleging that opposition parties were primarily engaged in a struggle for political power.
On Raksha Bandhan, the Chief Minister said ‘Sanman Rashi’ would be credited to the accounts of sisters who complete new registrations under the government’s initiative.
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