Chandigarh, April 26 (Agency) Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday said that around 8,500 players will participate in the Khelo India Youth Games 2021 to be held in the state from June 4 to 13, 2022. The Games will include five sports of Indian origin of the 25 sports in the Under-18 age group and will take place in Shahbad, Ambala, Chandigarh and Delhi apart from Panchkula. Khattar shared detailed information regarding the event with Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur through video conference during the meeting of Organising and Co-ordination Committee of Khelo India Youth Games 2021. He said that extensive preparations have been made for launching mascot and logo of the Khelo India Youth Games at Indradhanush Auditorium in Panchkula on May 8. Khattar added that 2-3 multipurpose halls, synthetic track, athletic track have been constructed for sports.
Besides this, the work of auditorium in Badminton Hall, Government Women’s College, Sector 14, Panchkula has also been completed. He said that the construction work of Hockey Stadium Panchkula and Shahbad is almost finished. Also, an all-weather swimming pool has been completed in Ambala. The Chief Minister said that a full team of young officers had been deployed for organising these games and they would closely monitor every competition venue so that the players would not face any problems. In these games, complete arrangements for cleanliness will be done while taking forward the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. He said that cultural programmes depicting Haryanvi culture would be organised in these Games and during Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the tales of innumerable heroes of freedom struggle and introduction of excellent players of the state would be displayed through an exhibition so that the young generation could take inspiration from them. He said that a promotion event programme for the games would be organised in Gurugram on May 13.
The Union Sports Minister lauded the commendable work done in Haryana with regard to saving girl child. Besides this, the women players of the state have made India proud in every game held abroad. He said that in order to further increase the interest of the students towards sports we should emphasise on sports-based theme. He said that it is a matter of joy that new ideas are being suggested by the state of Haryana, thus, we should implement these new ideas in Khelo India Youth Games so that the efforts being made by the state is a subject of discussion across the country. He said that Covid-19 protocol should be strictly adhered to in these games to be held in June and complete arrangements for testing of the players should be made.