Punjab Rural Games sports meet opens on Monday

As many as 2,400 athletes will be participating in a three-day Punjab State Rural Games for Under-16 girls that kicks off at Guru Nanak stadium here on Monday.Revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia will be declaring the games open

As many as 2,400 athletes will be participating in a three-day Punjab State Rural Games for Under-16 girls that kicks off at Guru Nanak stadium here on Monday.Revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia will be declaring the games open.

This sports meet is being organised under the the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan (RGKA) scheme of the union ministry of sports and youth affairs.

As many as 300 officials have been deputed for smooth conduct of the games in 12 disciplines - athletics, basketball, boxing, football, hockey, handball, judo, kho kho, kabaddi, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling Divulging details to mediapersons here on Sunday, Tejinder Singh Dhaliwal, director sports, said athletes excelling in the meet would become a part of the Punjab contingent that would participate in the upcoming National Rural Sports meet.

"The main aim of the scheme is to identify sporting talents from rural areas and also to develop sports infrastructure in villages," he added.