Punjab ChiefMinister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday directed the Finance Department toimmediately release the sanctioned amount of Rs 60 crore for the first phaseconstruction of the Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Punjab Sports University (MBSPSU),Patiala campus.
He also asked theFinance Department to enhance the allocation for the premier institution inthis year’s budget, saying that the Rs 15 crore allotted for the university wastoo less.
Virtuallyreviewing the progress of the state’s first sports university, the ChiefMinister also asked PWD Minister Vijay Inder Singla to assign a Chief Engineerto steer the campus construction, in consultation with a good externalconsultant, to ensure speedy completion of the project.
He also directedSports Minister Rana Gurmit Sodhi to set up a 3-member committee to coordinatewith the PWD for expediting the work on the university, which has beenfunctioning from another campus since 2019.
To ensureworld-class curriculum for the university, the Chief Minister approved a draftMoU to be signed with UK-based Loughborough University to institutionalise thecollaboration between the two.
Stressing that hewanted to see Punjab develop as a sports hub, Captain Amarinder asked thedepartments to expedite work on the campus.
Vice ChancellorMBSPSU Lt. Gen (Retd.) JS Cheema told the meeting that the construction of theUniversity was currently going on in full swing on Patiala-Bhadson road atPatiala. The campus would spread over an area of about 100 acres. The meetingwas also informed that currently the admissions have been made from the session2019-20, and 130 students have been enrolled. A total of 76 posts have beensanctioned in this year’s budget.
At present, theuniversity has three constituent colleges namely Prof. Gursewak SinghGovernment College of Physical Education Patiala, Government Art & SportsCollege Jalandhar and Government College Kala Afghana, Gurdaspur. The coursesplanned for the next two years are BPES, BA, PGD Yoga, B.Sc. (SportsTechnology) and PGD coaching.
It may berecalled that the foundation stone of this prestigious Sports University waslaid on October 25, 2020 by the Chief Minister as his flagship programme topromote education in the areas of sports sciences, sports technology, sportsmanagement and sports coaching. It will focus on education, training andresearch in areas related to sports based on high standard infrastructure,besides offering professional and academic leadership to other institutions inthe field of physical education and sports sciences.
The universitywill also serve as a Centre of excellence for the elite and other talentedsportspersons of all sports and innovations to carry out, endorse and propagateresearch. It will also generate capabilities for the development of knowledgeskills and competencies at various levels in the field of sports technology andhigh-performance training for all sports and games.
Besides theSports and PWD Ministers, the meeting was attended by Senior Advisor to CM Lt.Gen (Retd.) TS Shergill, Chief Principal Secretary to CM Suresh Kumar, ChiefSecretary Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary Sports Raj Kamal Chaudhary,Principal Secretary Finance KAP Sinha and Principal Secretary PWD Vikas Pratap.