Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday directed the Sports Department to work out the modalities regarding the setting up of a sports university at Patiala, in line with the draft legislation submitted to him by the steering committee headed by International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Randhir Singh.The Chief Minister also asked the Sports Department to seek clearance from the Finance Department to establish the prestigious sports university and present the legislation before the Council of Ministers in the next Cabinet meeting.Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that Steering Committee chairperson Olympian Randhir Singh this evening discussed the draft legislation with the Chief Minister, along with Sports Minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, at the Post Graduate Institute for Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) where the Capt Amarinder is recuperating after undergoing a surgery for kidney stone removal.The spokesperson further said that once the proposal is cleared by the Cabinet, the process for other requisite formalities would be initiated on fast track.
The University would generate capabilities for the development of knowledge, skills and competence at various levels in the fields of physical education and sports sciences, sports technology and high-performance training of all sports and games. It would also provide the best coaching facilities and state-of-the-art infrastructure, besides efficient institutional support and ecosystem to budding athletes to tap their potential at an early stage, the spokesperson added.Reiterating his personal commitment to provide a healthy supporting environment to state athletes, Captain Amarinder asked the Sports Minister to provide all possible assistance and cooperation to aspiring youth preparing for various national and international sports events.Pertinently, the Chief Minister had set up the steering committee to work out the modalities for the proposed university. The Committee was mandated to examine the existing national and international models of sports universities and submit a draft to the Government.Besides Randhir Singh, the committee includes MLA Pargat Singh, former Vice Chancellor of Lakshmibai National University of Physical Education Gwalior J S Narula, and former VC of Rajasthan Sports University L S Ranawat.