Chandigarh:
Rajya Sabha Member Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal raised a significant issue during Zero Hour regarding the urgent need to strengthen sports infrastructure in rural areas across the country. He stated that despite Punjab contributing nearly 50 Olympians to the nation, it is not receiving a fair share of sports funding.
He informed the House that during the Paris Olympics, out of the total 100 athletes representing India, 45 belonged to Punjab and Haryana. However, these states face clear discrimination when it comes to allocation of sports funds.
Citing last year’s Khelo India budget, he highlighted that Gujarat received ₹426.13 crore and Uttar Pradesh ₹438.27 crore, whereas Punjab was allocated only ₹78.02 crore and Haryana ₹66.59 crore—despite producing the highest number of athletes. He termed this disparity as unjust and against the principles of fairness.
He emphasized the need to establish sports nurseries across the country to strengthen India’s position in international sports. He added that providing quality facilities to athletes is the need of the hour.
Sant Seechewal further pointed out that concessions provided to sportspersons in railway travel were discontinued during the COVID-19 pandemic. He urged the government to restore and provide 100% free railway travel for athletes, stating that they compete not for personal gain but for the nation.
He also demanded that at least five astroturf grounds should be developed in every block across the country. He remarked that due to the lack of proper sports infrastructure, a nation of 1.4 billion people continues to struggle for Olympic gold medals, while smaller countries outperform India.
Speaking to the media, he added that despite Punjab being a land of rivers, water sports are not being adequately promoted. He noted that kayaking, canoeing, and dragon boat competitions are organized at Sultanpur Lodhi, and if international-level coaching and facilities are provided, athletes from Punjab can win Olympic gold medals.
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Congratulating the nation, Sant Seechewal said that for the first time, the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy will be hosted in cities of Punjab. He recalled that there was a time when Indian hockey dominated the world and was a matter of great pride for the nation. He further highlighted that Punjab has a rich legacy, having produced captains for the Indian Olympic hockey team on 10 occasions. Even today, the Indian hockey team includes several players from Punjab, including captain Harmanpreet Singh, who continue to bring pride to the country.
