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Punjab allocates Rs 1,793 cr for sports to combat drug menace: Cheema
Cheema said that the previous governments never allocated more than Rs 150 crore for sports, leading to Punjab lagging behind and youth drifting towards drugs due to lack of adequate sports infrastructure.
He added that Punjab has successfully reduced its debt by 3% in terms of the debt-to-GDP ratio.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema Monday said that Punjab government has earmarked a budget of Rs 1,793 crore for sports with a twin objective of eradicating drug menace and promoting sports and youth development in the state.
While addressing a gathering after attending the bhog ceremony of Sri Guru Granth Sahib’s Akhand Path, organised to mark the inauguration of a new campus of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Punjab Sports University, Siddhuwal, Cheema said the state has launched a campaign against drugs to safeguard Punjab’s youth and to strengthen sports infrastructure.
He said that the government has provided 66,000 government jobs over the past four years. He added that there has been a visible decline in the number of passport applications, indicating growing confidence among youth to build their future within Punjab. This positive trend has also resulted in increased admissions in colleges and universities across the state.
Cheema said that the previous governments never allocated more than Rs 150 crore for sports, leading to Punjab lagging behind and youth drifting towards drugs due to lack of adequate sports infrastructure. He asserted that the present government has consistently increased sports budgets to develop playgrounds and modern stadiums in villages, yielding encouraging results.
He added that Punjab has successfully reduced its debt by 3% in terms of the debt-to-GDP ratio. He attributed this achievement to the government’s transparency and efficient governance, which has led to a more than 100% increase in GST revenue — from Rs 60,000 crore to over Rs 1.30 lakh crore. Similarly, revenue from stamp and registration has increased from Rs 12,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore, while excise revenue has risen from Rs 6,551 crore to Rs 12,800 crore annually. He said these developments are steering Punjab towards becoming a “Rangla Punjab.”
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