Chandigarh, November 15, 2025: Punjab’s rural landscape is set for sweeping change as the state government begins constructing thousands of modern sports grounds under its ‘Har Pind Khel Maidan’ mission, a flagship initiative that officials say will anchor community life and strengthen the state’s fight against drug abuse.
The programme, driven by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, aims to build state-of-the-art facilities in 3,100 villages in its first phase. With an eventual target of covering all 12,500 villages, the project carries a budget of ₹1,194 crore—one of the largest single investments in rural sports infrastructure in the state’s history.
Officials said the mission serves a dual purpose: developing comprehensive village-level sports facilities and creating positive alternatives for young people. “You cannot tackle drugs only through enforcement,” an official noted. “You must create avenues that engage and empower youth. This mission is designed for exactly that.”
Each site will include multi-sport infrastructure such as hockey, football, volleyball and cricket grounds, athletics tracks, open gyms, children’s zones, and dedicated areas for meditation and senior citizens. Depending on village land availability, the grounds will vary between 0.5 and 4 acres. Authorities said the concept goes beyond traditional playgrounds to establish community wellness centres that support both sport and everyday physical activity.
Work has advanced rapidly in several constituencies. In Sunam, 29 stadiums costing ₹11.5 crore have been sanctioned, with construction ongoing in the first 11 villages. Lehra constituency has planned around 40–41 stadiums, and foundation stones have been laid for 28 of them. Amritsar district has identified 495 potential locations and already begun development at 174 sites. The varying project costs—from ₹23.94 lakh to ₹117.16 lakh—reflect customised designs based on village needs.
The government said the project builds on the momentum of the ‘Khedan Vatan Punjab Diyan’ sports festivals, and will be supported by 260 new sports nurseries aimed at identifying rural talent early. “This initiative strengthens the roots from which future champions will rise,” an official from the sports department said, noting that Punjab’s sporting legacy has long been nurtured in villages.
A key aspect of the mission is its maintenance strategy: once the grounds are completed and equipped with state-supplied gear, they will be handed over to local youth clubs for day-to-day management. Officials said this ensures long-term sustainability and builds community pride. “Village clubs will not just use these facilities—they will protect them,” an official said.
Chief Minister Mann described the initiative as evidence of the government’s commitment to a fitter and more prosperous Punjab. “We are delivering real change on the ground,” he said. “Our goal is to create healthy spaces that inspire discipline, teamwork and ambition among the youth.”
As development accelerates, the ‘Har Pind Khel Maidan’ mission is being viewed as a transformative step in rural policy—one that links public health, talent cultivation and community development. For many villages, the new stadiums represent both a centrepiece of local identity and a path toward a more active, resilient future.
