The North News
Chandigarh, May 15
Punjab’s government has launched a sweeping initiative to rejuvenate its rural landscape, focusing on cleaning 15,000 village ponds and upgrading over 13,000 sports grounds across the state. Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond announced the programme during a visit to Khijrabad village near Banur on Thursday.
The mission aims to transform village ponds, many of which had become neglected dumping grounds, into clean water sources for farming and community use. Sond said this was the first large-scale effort in decades to dewater, desilt, and restore these water bodies, with over 1,500 ponds already completed and thousands more underway. The process is expected to finish by May 30, 2025.
Simultaneously, the government is constructing 3,000 new model sports grounds and upgrading 4,300 existing playgrounds. These projects, backed by a Rs 3,500 crore budget combined with MGNREGA and Finance Commission grants, seek to provide rural children with safe, green spaces for sport and recreation.
Sond criticised previous administrations for ignoring these vital rural assets and stressed that ponds and playgrounds “define the spirit” of every village. The mission also supports the government’s “Yudh Nashiyan Virudh” campaign, promoting youth engagement in sports to deter substance abuse.
During his visit, the minister inspected progress in several villages and urged officials to address shortcomings, highlighting the government’s dedication to improving rural life, water conservation, and youth development.
