ISLAMABAD:In a bid to revive hockey and encourage youth towards the national game, the work was underway on lying of astro-turfs in five major cities across the country.
“The government has recently laid down synthetic hockey Turfs at Islamabad and Quetta. Whereas, work regarding lying of turfs in Wah Cantt, Peshawar, Abbottabad, Faisalabad and Muzaffarabad are under process, an official told APP.
He said the government was also introducing new governance system and national sports policy for the overhauling of sports structure including hockey in the country.
“Government of Pakistan was committed for the promotion of sports including hockey in the country. In pursuance of this goal the federal government through Pakistan Sports Board provides administrative, technical and financial support to these games,” he said.
He said to the extent of hockey, the government has taken several steps for the improvement of performance and International ranking of national team and overhaul of domestic hockey structure.
“The Government has provided Rs. 9 million to Hockey Federation as Annual Grant during the last five years. The Government has also released an amount of Rs. 3.5 million and under the PM directive 7.3 million to PHF as a Special Grant,” he said.
He said an amount of Rs. 5.5 million was released to Pakistan Hockey federation for training cum competitions. “Pakistan Sports Board also established National Hockey Training Camps and incurred around Rs. 7 million. Service of Foreign Coach for the period 21-11-2021 to 30-04-2022 (05 months & 10 days) amounting to US$42,667 is also being provided,” he said.
However, he said that the subject of sports was devolved after the 18th constitutional amendment and the role of Federal Government has become limited.
“The Provincial governments are mainly responsible for promotion of sports in their respective provinces. National Sports Federations are autonomous bodies and responsible to carry-out their sports activities at national and international level.
He said the federal government extends its technical and financial support through National Sports Federations. “To the extent of providing sports infrastructure, the Federal government has completed two projects including laying of synthetic Hockey Turf and construction of Boxing Gymnasium at Quetta, Balochistan.
“Similarly, a project to rehabilitate and upgrade existing facilities of PSB, Coaching Center at Quetta having estimated a cost of Rs 379.311 million has been included in the current year PSDP,” he said.