Jammu, Aug 01: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Working President Raman Bhalla, accompanied by other notable members of the Congress party, met with and felicitated Manpreet Singh Samrat, who recently won a Gold medal at the World Strength Lifting Championship held in Kazakhstan.
The event was attended by Rajinder Singh Nathu, Chairman of the Minority Department Congress, Dalip Kumar, former BDC Chairman and Congress Kissan Cell Vice President, among others, a statement issued here said.
During the felicitation, Bhalla praised Samrat for his exceptional achievement and highlighted his contribution to bringing international recognition to India, particularly Jammu and Kashmir. The event celebrated Samrat’s success and acknowledged the pride he has brought to the region through his accomplishments in strength lifting.
While honoring Samrat, the Congress leader addressed concerns regarding the sports infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir. He claimed that the sports grounds and training centers in Jammu and Kashmir are neglected, with inadequate maintenance leading to a decline in youth engagement in sports.
Bhalla said that despite the region’s talent, the government has failed over the past decade to sustain youth sports programmes and improve facilities.
The JKPCC leader urged the government to prioritise sports infrastructure, especially in rural areas where facilities and training opportunities are severely lacking. “There is a need for a systemic overhaul of how sports projects are managed, including setting deadlines for project completion and addressing corruption by rotating officers involved in these projects,” he said.
“Government funding for sports infrastructure needs to be monitored closely to ensure that resources are not wasted. If we do not address these issues promptly, Jammu and Kashmir will struggle to produce quality sportspersons in the future,” Bhalla said.
