Rawalpindi-Punjab government would complete various sports projects underway in different districts of the province at the cost of Rs18 billion by end of April, said Chairman Steering Committee Sports Sector Development Punjab Hanif Abbasi.

Addressing the participants on Wednesday after performing ground breaking ceremony of the first women astro turf Hockey ground at Viqar-un-Nisa Post Graduate College, he said that the project would be completed by March 31 at a cost of Rs45 million, adding that the turf would be imported from Holland. Such facility is not available in any school or college of the country, he added. Abbasi said that Punjab government was utilising available resources to facilitate the citizens besides constructing sports facilities in schools, colleges and available government land so that the energies of male and female students could be channelised in a constructive way and right direction.

A new tube well would be installed in the college to ensure sprinkling on the Astro Turf, he said, adding that an indoor gym would also be built within the college premises and completed till March 31, he said. He further said that a hostel for the college would be constructed during next financial year.

Abbasi said that co-curricular activities played a vital role in growth and development of students.

He said that Rawalpindi had been made number one city in the province, particularly in sports, education and health sectors. Best cleanliness arrangements have been made for Rawalpindi, he added. He said that people were facing severe load-shedding of up to 18 hours in 2013, but due to prudent policies and earnest efforts of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, there would be no load-shedding in the current year as mega power projects were either completed or were near completion, which, he said, would be generating nearly 5,000 megawatt extra electricity.

The chairman said that play grounds including cricket and hockey grounds were prepared in colleges of Rawalpindi including a big ground which has flood light facility.

Several development projects of education and health sectors were completed, he added.

He said that Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology was completed by Punjab government and 30 per cent patients of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa besides those belonging to AJK and Rawalpindi division were being provided modern medical treatment facilities.

 Another big project, Rawalpindi Institute of Urology, a 400-bed hospital, would be inaugurated by end of April, he said, adding that kidney transplant facility would also be available in the hospital. It would be a state-of-the-art health facility for the treatment of the Kidney patients, Abbasi added.

District Sports Officer Abdul Waheed Babar, Director Colleges Asghar Malik, Principal Viqar un Nisa College Dr Saira Mufti, staff members and a large number of students attended the ceremony.