JAMMU, FEBRUARY 18: Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Sham Lal Chaudhary today said games and sports play an important role in the overall development of students and urged the parents to encourage their children for taking part in different sports events.

The Minister said this while addressing the gathering during annual sports day celebration, ‘Jashn-e-Bachpan’ of pre-primary wing of Stephens Public International School, Miran Sahib.

He said, “The games and sports not only help in physical and mental fitness, but also encourages the students towards channelizing their energies in right direction for a better tomorrow.”

More than 200 tiny tots of the school competed in the sports gala which included games like frog race, sack race, crawling, tug of war, chocolate race, back walking race and balancing the balloon and lemon spoon race.

Principal Shibu Mathew K, Chairman IGP (Retd.) Dr. Kamal Saini, students and staff of the school were present on the occasion.

Later, the Minister felicitated the winners of the competition.

In the day, the Minister also convened public meetings at various villages in Suchetgarh including Nikowal, Mulachak, Suchetgarh and Jassore to listening to the grievances of the common masses and review the progress on decisions taken in previous public grievance redressal camps.

The villagers hailing from all sections of the society apprised the Minister of the problems being faced by them related to road connectivity, power supply, water supply, telecom, education and healthcare.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said the government is taking various path-breaking steps for ensuring welfare of the common masses and special stress is being laid to uplift poor, women, youth, farmers, border people and downtrodden sections of the society.

He appealed the people to take benefit of various welfare schemes including Ladli Beti, AASRA, State Marriage Assistance Scheme and other financial assistance schemes being implemented by both state and central governments.

He assured them that their genuine grievances would be redressed in a time bound manner.