![Minister for Health and Medical Education, Ch Lal Singh interacting with players during the concluding function of Young achievers Cricket tourney in Kathua. Minister for Health and Medical Education, Ch Lal Singh interacting with players during the concluding function of Young achievers Cricket tourney in Kathua.](https://cdndailyexcelsior.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/page1412.jpg)
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
KATHUA, May 18: Minister for Health and Medical Education, ARI and Trainings, Choudhary Lal Singh has said that sports activities help to channelize the energy of the youth in positive direction, adding that in this behalf Government is committed to promote sports activities and develop sports infrastructure in every nook and corner of the State.
The Minister was addressing a gathering of sports lovers on the concluding day of 73-day long Young Achievers Cricket Tournament first of its kind, at Kathua Sports Stadium, today.
District Development Commissioner Kathua Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Chief Education Officer, Kathua Balbir Singh Jasrotia, Executive Engineer R&B besides senior officers of Animal Husbandry, Revenue, R&B, Youth Services and Sports were present on the occasion.
The 73-day long Young Achievers’ T20 Cricket Tournament was organized by youth and sportsmen hailing from district Kathua.
Speaking on the occasion, Ch Lal Singh said that by organizing such sports events the immense sports talent in youth of the state would further honed to enable them participate in national and international sports events. He said the visiting players would feel real spirit of state’s culture of brotherhood and would be our ambassadors for the country to present actual picture of the Jammu and Kashmir outside.
The Minister advised the local youth to actively participate in sports, adding that such activities would keep them physically and mentally fit.
Former MLA, Kanta Andotra informed that the tournament was organized in the memory of Late Ch. Saran Singh where a cash prize of about Rs 3 lakh is given to winning team, Rs 1.5 lakh to the runners-up team and Hyundai Eco Car to man of the series.
Chief Organizer of the tournament, Rajinder Singh Babby said that the tournament started with an educative purpose to aware the youth about participation in games and sports for physical and mental development than indulging in drug addiction and other anti-social activities.