PUNJAB SPORTS MINISTER LAYS STONE OF ASTROTURF FOR SECOND TIME

MOGA : Punjab sports minister Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi on Tuesday laid the foundation stone of Moga district’s first hockey astroturf at Lala Lajpat Rai Government College at Dhudike village for the second time.

The project stone was first laid by then deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on January 28, 2016, on the 150th birth anniversary of martyr Lala Lajpat Rai.

Sodhi said, “Rs 5 crore will be spent on laying international-standard Astroturf by the Dutch company Greenfield. An international coach will also be appointed to train the players.”

The minister said he had come to Dhudike a few months back and saw the pathetic condition of the ground and decided to change it on a priority basis.

“Once the Astroturf is laid, the youth of district will be exposed to world-class facilities. Also, a state-of-the-art swimming pool will be set up in Moga. The existing indoor stadium in Moga will also be made operational,” the minister said.

Dhudike village had produced many national-level hockey players.

The work on the astroturf project that started in February 2017 was stopped the same year. Sodhi said all remaining work will be completed within 7 months.

A sports department official said, said, “Though the work on constructing the base was completed, tenders for installing the astroturf were never floated. The tender has been allotted.”

He said around 40% funds on the project are being spent by the central government which has already provided Rs 2 crore to the state sports department.