Minister distributes Rs 23.6m cheques among 29 sports associations.

LAHORE -- Taking another revolutionary measure for the growth of sports culture in the Punjab province, Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Taimoor Masood distributed cheques of Rs 23.6 million grant money among 29 provincial sports associations here at the National Hockey Stadium on Saturday.

Vice-Chairman Sports Board Punjab (SBP) Malik Nadeem Abbas Bara, Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Ehsan Bhutta, Commissioner Lahore/President Punjab Olympic Association Amir Jan, Director General Sports Punjab Muhammad Tariq Qureshi, Director Admin Syed Umair Hassan, CEO Lahore Qalandars Atif Rana, former Test cricketer Aqib Javed, Director Sports Chand Parveen, Deputy Director Tariq Wattoo, Assistant Director Zahoor Ahmed, Secretary Punjab Olympic Association Idris Haider Khawaja and presidents and secretaries of all provincial sports associations were also present on this occasion.

The SBP vice-chairman also distributed grant money cheques among some provincial sports associations.

Addressing the ceremony, the Punjab sport minister said that it is a historic day because on this day Sports Board Punjab is releasing grant-in-aid money to all provincial sports associations for the promotion of sports culture. 'We have fulfilled our promise and now it is the obligation of provincial sports associations to deliver and hold a maximum number of sports events and trace fresh talent in their respective games,' he added.

He said that the grant money will be given to provincial sports associations every year. Representatives of all provincial sports associations thanked Punjab Minister for Sports Secretary Sports Punjab and DG, SBP

for fulfilling their key demand.

Malik Taimoor Masood further said that there is no doubt that provincial sports associations have a key role in the promotion of sports among the young generation. 'The annual grant-in-aid to provincial sports associations was a regular feature in the past but it was suspended due to some reasons but now the long-standing demand of provincial sports associations has been fulfilled for which my whole team deserved huge appreciation'.

He further said that Sports Board Punjab will continue to extend every possible support to provincial sports associations for the organization of...