Punjab Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond announced that under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the state has launched a comprehensive initiative aimed at revitalizing village life and enhancing the rural landscape. He noted that these efforts are poised to bring lasting positive change to Punjab’s countryside.
Outlining key initiatives, Minister Tarunpreet Singh shared that the government is currently cleaning and restoring 15,000 village ponds and developing or upgrading 13,000 rural sports grounds. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to improve rural living conditions and actively engage the youth. He criticized past administrations for neglecting basic rural infrastructure, especially ponds and sports facilities for village youth.
During a press conference at the rural sports ground in Khijrabad (Banur), accompanied by MLA Neena Mittal, Sond remarked that “a village’s soul lies in its pond and playground,” and the government is fully committed to restoring both as sources of community pride and development.
As part of the ongoing Rural Rejuvenation Mission, the state government is constructing or upgrading over 13,000 sports grounds across all 154 development blocks. This mission aligns with the government’s vision of “Yudh Nashiyan Virudh” — a battle against drug abuse — by promoting youth involvement in sports and healthy lifestyles.
The transformation is being funded through a combination of Rs. 3,500 crore in state funds, MGNREGA, and Finance Commission grants. Additionally, 3,000 new Model Sports Grounds focused on local sports are being created, and 4,300 existing grounds are being significantly upgraded.
Minister Tarunpreet Singh expressed concern that many children in villages lack access to sports facilities, limiting their growth and opportunities. He assured that the government is working to ensure that every village child has access to safe, green, and well-equipped playgrounds to support their development.
Later, the Minister inspected the progress of sports ground development and pond cleaning in several villages, including Azizpur, Fareedpur Gujjran, Bhateri, Nalas Khurd, and Manakpur. During his visit to Azizpur Stadium, he found some shortcomings and instructed the Patiala ADC to submit a detailed report.
Minister Tarunpreet Singh highlighted that this is Punjab’s first large-scale mission to clean, rejuvenate, and treat water in over 15,000 ponds across all development blocks in a phased manner. So far, dewatering has been completed in 1,587 ponds and is ongoing in 4,408 more. Desilting has been finished in 515 ponds, with work underway in another 1,901. The entire dewatering process is expected to be completed by May 30, 2025.
In the initial phase of the 2025–26 financial year, 5,000 ponds will be developed using the Thapar/Seechewal model. Minister Tarunpreet Singh emphasized that this is more than a sanitation project — it is a movement to restore dignity and quality of life in rural Punjab.
He added that for years, many village ponds had deteriorated into garbage dumps, choked with waste and weeds, becoming breeding grounds for mosquitoes and unusable for animals or agriculture. Now, these ponds are being revived as clean, functional water bodies to support farming and community use.
Finally, Minister Tarunpreet Singh underlined that this is the first time in decades such extensive dewatering and desilting efforts are being carried out. These efforts will significantly improve water retention and natural flow, representing a milestone in rural transformation and reaffirming the government’s strong commitment to clean water, youth development, and sustainable village progress.