With a view to impart best training to the shooters Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today announced that Rs. 5.60 crore would be spent on upgrading the facilities at all the 4 shooting ranges in the State.Outlining his vision after the inauguration of up-gradation of indoor shooting range in the presence of Revenue Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, who is also president of Punjab Rifle Shooting Association, the Deputy Chief Minister said that out of Rs. 5.60 crore a sum of Rs. 165.47 lac would be spent on up-gradation of shooting range at SAS Nagar while the shooting ranges at village Badal would be upgraded at a cost of Rs. 294.03 lac. "The shooting ranges at village Talwara in Ludhiana and PAP Jalandhar would be provided with state-of-the-art facilities amounting to Rs. 71 lac and Rs. 29.50 lac respectively'', he added. The Deputy Chief Minister also said that it would be the first time that any shooting range in Punjab is equipped with electronic target technique.
Divulging the details, Mr Badal, who also holds sports portfolio, said the State Government is committed to provide all necessary facilities including training from foreign coaches to the players so as to ensure the maximum participation of players from the state in next Olympic Games at Rio de Janeiro.
Reiterating the commitment to provide the requisite infrastructure for development of sports, the Deputy CM said the state government would hire foreign coaches to train budding players. He also informed that the state had spent Rs. 200 crore on construction of sports school at Ghudha (Sri Muktsar Sahib), an international sports hostel at Jalandhar, International hockey stadium at SAS Nagar besides 2 synthetic athletic tracks, 6 synthetic hockey surfaces and 10 multipurpose stadiums.Talking about the ongoing projects, Mr Badal informed that Rs. 45 crore were being spent on the relaying of hockey surface at village Badal (Sri Muktsar Sahib), Hockey stadium at Ferozepur, multipurpose indoor hall at Tarntaran and construction of 3 multipurpose stadiums at Moonak, Fazilka and Pathankot.Among others present on the occasion included chief parliamentary secretary Mr Virsa Singh Valtoha, Secretary Sports Ashok Gupta, Director Sports Rahul Gupta, Deputy Commissioner TPS Sidhu and office bearers of Punjab Rifle Shooting Association.