Food streets to be built around stadiums: minister

LAHORE:Taking a significant measure to resolve financial issues of Punjab Sports Department, Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar has said that along with constructing 52 new stadiums, food streets and shops will be built around existing stadiums to increase revenue. ‘Several shops will also be built around the stadiums in Nishtar Park Sports Complex to generate revenue’.

Chairing a meeting at National Hockey Stadium on Wednesday, Faisal Ayub said that effective measures would also be taken to increase the budget of Sports Board Punjab. ‘The amendments are being made in Sports Board Punjab rules for bringing improvement in sports structure of the province,’ he informed.

He said that a monitoring cell would also be established to check the progress of sports and revenue. Deputy Director Monitoring Cell, two assistant directors and monitoring officers will be appointed in all divisions of the province.

He informed that two committees have been formed to check the current situation of revenue in all the stadiums of Punjab province. Complaint Management System and a Central Online System will be introduced for the checking of booking of grounds, revenue and other matters.

Divisional Sports Committees will be formed in Punjab and besides this 6,000 graduates will be given Rs25,000 per month under the CM Punjab Internship Programme. Important decisions were also made about new posts and vehicles for officers in the meeting.