Rs 7.5 bln allocated to develop sports infrastructure in merged districts: KP CM.

PESHAWAR -- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Friday said there was huge sports talents in the merged tribal areas and it was his government's topmost priority to provide playground facilities to the tribal youth under the Prime Minister 1000 Playground Project.

The KP government, he said, had allocated Rs 7.5 billion for the development of sports infrastructure in the merged tribal district. Allocation of Rs 5 billion was for the establishment of new sports facilities, and Rs 2.2 billion for up-gradation and Rs. over 0.2 billion for rehabilitation of existing ones, he said while talking to reporter.

The chief minister chaired a meeting attended by Secretary Sports Abid Majeed, Additional Secretary Sports Junaid Khan, DG Sports KP Asfandyar Khan Khattak, Director Sports Merged Areas Muhammad Nawaz Khan, Project Director PM 1000 Project Murad Ali Mohmand, Chief Engineering Wing Ahmad Ali, Deputy Director IT Zahid Khan, Director Development Saleem Raza, District Sports Officer Tehseen Ullah Khan, Director Games Niamat Ullah Khan Marwat, Engrs. Paras Ahmad and Omar Shehzad.

The chief minister said as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan to promote sports activities among the youth, the provincial government had set the target of establishing some 204 sports facility centres in 170 union councils across the province, including the merged districts, with an estimated cost of Rs 5,500 million.

Some 150 sports facilities at UC level would be ready by June 2021, which would cost Rs 1,178.97 million, he added.

The grounds built under the PM's vision would have climbing walls for kids, cricket academies, badminton halls, synthetic tennis courts, synthetic walking tracks, and basketball and volleyball courts, besides martial arts area to promote sports culture, he added.

Mahmood Khan said last year the number of approved sports schemes were 96, while 108 projects for all 35 districts, including merged tribal ones, were approved this year.

So far 45 out of 100 open-air-gyms had been installed across the province to attract general-public to do exercise during their routine activities for better health, he added.

He said some 1,000 sports facilities project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would be completed by 2024 at the cost of Rs 5.5 billion.

The CM said for the first time, facilities were being provided for 17 different popular games in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Sports Department was particularly focusing on the games in which the local...