Punjab government today took a historic step by announcing the construction of 3,100 ‘Model Playgrounds’ in rural Punjab. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party’s National Convener Arvind Kejriwal jointly laid the foundation of this project, under which sports grounds will be developed in every village of the state by spending ₹1,194 crores. This scheme has been started under the ‘Rural Resurgence Project’ in the 2025-26 state budget, whose aim is not just to build playgrounds, but to strengthen social and community infrastructure in villages.
Addressing the event, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that this is the first time in Punjab’s history that such a big investment is being made in sports infrastructure in rural areas. He said, “Our villages don’t lack talent, they only lack facilities. Today we are going to take those facilities to every village. Every child, from whatever village they may be, should be able to play, grow and fulfill their dreams.” The Chief Minister also said that this project is not just for children, but for people of all ages – from children to elderly, from women to youth.
On this occasion, Arvind Kejriwal said that Punjab’s real strength lies in its villages, and if villages become strong then Punjab will become strong. He said, “In Delhi we worked on education and health, now in Punjab we are focusing on sports and youth development. These model playgrounds will not just be grounds, they will be the hearts of villages where the community will gather, children will play and village culture will stay alive.” Arvind Kejriwal also added that this project will play an important role in keeping youth away from drugs, because when children have a place to play, they won’t go on the wrong path.
These model playgrounds will have many types of facilities. First of all, dedicated play areas will be created for children which will have swings, ladders and other play equipment. There will also be benches and community spaces for elderly people to sit where village people can gather. Full football and volleyball fields will be built for sports lovers, along with space for local games like kabaddi. Taking special care of women’s safety and convenience, separate toilets will be arranged, which will always work with cleanliness.
The most special thing is that all playgrounds will have high-mast lighting arrangements, so that children can play in a safe environment even in the evening. Apart from this, walking tracks, toilets, drinking water arrangements and entertainment facilities will also be provided. The government believes that these facilities will help in developing villages not just for sports, but as vibrant and safe community centers. Old grounds will be upgraded and new grounds will also be developed in new places.
This project will be completed in three phases. In the first phase, work will start in 3,100 priority villages. All playgrounds will have a uniform design so that quality and inclusiveness can be ensured. The government has also prepared a central monitoring dashboard, where ground level workers can directly post updates. This will let headquarters know about progress in real-time and any problem can be solved immediately. This system will ensure that all projects are completed on time and without delay.
Talking about the size of playgrounds, these will be built according to the needs of villages and available space. There will be 964 playgrounds less than 1 acre, 1,107 playgrounds between 1 to 2 acres, 554 playgrounds between 2 to 3 acres, 344 playgrounds between 3 to 4 acres and 131 playgrounds bigger than 4 acres. In total, 3,100 playgrounds will be spread across Punjab. This diversity ensures that every village, whether small or big, gets sports facilities according to its needs.
The responsibility of this project has been given to the Rural Development and Panchayat Department and the Sports and Youth Services Department. Both departments will together ensure that work goes according to plan and there is no compromise in quality. The government has made it clear that this project will not just remain on paper, but will be visible on the ground. Progress will be reviewed every month and strict action will be taken against any department that falls behind.
In conclusion, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said, “This is our promise, our dream and our responsibility. We will give every child of Punjab a chance to play, we will give every village a beautiful ground. This is not just a government scheme, this is an investment in Punjab’s future. In the coming days when our children play in these grounds, we will be proud that we gave wings to their dreams.” Arvind Kejriwal also repeated this sentiment saying that this project is Punjab government’s gift to coming generations, and history will remember this decision.
