Fulfills cherished dream of 4K inhabitants
* ‘We cut 25 feet hard mountain rock to level ground’, says Sarpanch
Ranjit Thakur
Udhampur, Jan 6: In order to nurture rural talent and to fulfil the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream to establish grassroots sports infrastructure, a playground has been developed in Roun village of district Udhampur after villagers donated their land to develop rural sports.
The play-ground is situated just few meters away from Jammu-Srinagar National Highway at Udhampur (Dhar road) in Roun-1 village and developed with an approximate cost of Rs 60 to 70 lakh, which was funded by various Government departments.
The construction of this ground has been a long-awaited desire for approximately four thousand residents from both Roun-1 and Roun-2 Panchayats (previously united as one Panchayat). This is because there was no available play field for the youth, who had to travel to Udhampur for any sports-related activities.
After serving for 28 years in the Indian Army and retiring as Subedar, Sarpanch (Roun-1), Krishan Singh expressed his distress over observing the youth in his village being drawn towards drugs and engaging in anti-social activities due to the lack of recreational opportunities. Upon his return to the village, Singh made the decision to establish a play ground in order to address this issue.
Speaking to Excelsior, Sarpanch (Roun-1), Krishan Singh said, “We have developed a playground in eight Kanals of land in the village which was donated by villagers for playground as there was no playing field in the village earlier for recreational activities.”
For a long time, the people of Roun-1 and Roun-2 had been hoping for a playground. However, the dream of having a play area has finally come true because of our sincere dedication and people’s support. Singh stated, “Levelling the ground on such rough terrain was a difficult task since our tedious efforts were able to achieve the seemingly insurmountable. We used heavy machinery to cut the 25 feet hard mountain rock to level the ground.”
“We initiated the construction of this field in 2019, and up to now, we have spent approximately Rs 60 to 70 lakh. We acquired Rs 25 lakh from the Youth Services and Sports Department, while the remaining funds were sourced from various Panchayat funds. In addition to levelling the ground, we have also installed solar lights, water and other essential amenities. However, our goal is to transform this field into a mini stadium,” he further mentioned.
Krishan Singh said since the establishment of the ground, numerous students from nearby villages come here daily to indulge in their favourite sports. Additionally, elders and women can be seen taking walks in the morning and evening. This place has truly become a vibrant hub.
“A sports field was recently constructed in our village with Government funding, which is a major achievement for us as there was no ground to play earlier,” said Abhishek, a local youth. It is suitable for organizing a variety of activities, something that was not possible in the past because it has been furnished with basic amenities and is conveniently connected to a road.
While acknowledging the tremendous efforts made by the Sarpanch to bring this dream to reality, Sansar Singh, the Sarpanch of Roun-2, expressed his gratitude to the Modi Government for empowering Panchayats by allocating sufficient funds. He pointed out that the recreational playfield is shared by two adjacent villages, which are about 200 meters away.
District Sports Officer Udhampur, Sanjeev Khajuria told Excelsior, Youth Services and Sports Department Udhampur has allotted Rs 25 lakh under Capital Expenditures (CapEx) funds for the development of Playground after local Sarpanch approached us. So far 80 percent work has been done, “We want this ground to be developed as a mini stadium as there is no Playground nearby. Boundary wall, fencing, Volleyball synthetic court are some of the infrastructure needed to be developed here,” he added.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
