PHAGWARA: In partnership with the All India Football Federation, the Punjab Government recently launched FIFA’s ambitious Football for Schools aiming to groom budding players under-14 at their schools to enable them to compete at national and International football events across the globe.
Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, who in presence of AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, launched the program, said that in first phase 1000 schools would be identified for ‘FIFA Football for Schools’ program.
He said the action plan for efficacious execution of this program was being finalized in association with All India Football Federation. FIFA and AIFF will extend all possible support and cooperation by providing 20,000 Adidasfootballsand appointing mentors for the young players.
Under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Government has taken phenomenal strides in the field of education, said the Minister adding the schools would get a major boost in sports.
He said the Punjab Government in association with the Punjab Football Association was fully geared up to take this Blue Cubs (Grassroots) Development Program to every nook &cranny of state through its schools.
Answering a media query, the Education Minister said that sports and other activities would become more emphatic with the State Government to recruit 2000 Physical Training Instructors (PTI) as the process was on advanced stage of completion to initiate recruitment.
Earlier, the Minister held detailed discussions with President of All India Football Federation Kalyan Chaubey, Secretary General Dr Shaji Prabhakaran, AIFF’s Grassroots Committee on Blue Cubs development and FIFA Football for School in India’s Chairman Mulraj Singh Chudasma, Executive Committee Member Deepak Sharma, President Punjab Football Association Samir Thapar.
Former Punjab minister and AAP stalwart Joginder Singh Mann, Phagwara Improvement Trust Chairman Advocate Kashmir Singh Malhi and other party leaders were also present.
The Minister along with other dignitaries went to Government Senior Secondary School, Phagwara, where he formally launched the ‘blue cubs’ program at the grounds amongst budding football players.
Arjuna awardee footballer Gurdev Singh Gill, a former Captain of Indian Football Team, was among several footballers to receive the minister.
Jaswant Singh Gandam
India Post News Service
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