23 Ludhiana district schools to get sports infra boost under PM SHRI scheme
The PM SHRI scheme, funded jointly by the central and state governments in a 60:40 ratio, has rolled out grants for the 2025-26 academic session; these include funds for innovation, sports and physical education, green initiatives, gender equity, cultural activities, and overall school development
District’s government schools are set to see a major improvement in their facilities, especially in sports, with the release of fresh funds under the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme.
School heads say that the grants will allow them to go beyond routine physical education and even appoint dedicated coaches for specific sports teams, giving government schools a chance to compete more strongly at higher levels.
The PM SHRI scheme, funded jointly by the central and state governments in a 60:40 ratio, has rolled out grants for the 2025-26 academic session. These include funds for innovation, sports and physical education, green initiatives, gender equity, cultural activities, and overall school development.
In Ludhiana, 23 schools have been chosen under this scheme, 17 senior secondary schools and six high schools. Government Model Senior Secondary School, Cemetery Road, received ₹9,01,000. Its principal, Charanjeet Kaur Ahuja, said, “If a school has a designated team for a particular sport, then apart from the physical education teacher, we can now hire a coach to train the team. This will not only improve performance but also help our students qualify for competitions at various levels.”
Across Punjab, a total of 347 government schools have been granted ₹18.27 crore for sports and physical education under the PM SHRI scheme. Along with school-level funds, the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) has also been supported under the sub-component ‘capacity building through DIETs’. DIET Jagraon alone has received ₹3 lakh to strengthen training and leadership activities.
The scheme also focuses on skill development. Students from Class 6 to 12 will be supported with ₹75 per head to improve reading and writing abilities. In addition, funds have been released for building separate toilets for girls, adolescent programmes, cultural events, and expert talks. Schools have also been allowed to purchase resources such as projectors, musical instruments, and LED lighting to modernise classrooms.
Principal Kanwaljot Kaur of GSSS Ayali Khurd noted that funds have even been allocated for field visits and Swachhta Pakhwada drives. “Such initiatives will ensure students get both academic knowledge and real-life exposure,” she said.
