Chandigarh, July 14 -- Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday announced that the state government would soon commence the construction of 13,000 ultra-modern stadiums and playgrounds across Punjab, with work on 3,083 such stadiums already underway in the first phase. Addressing a press conference at his official residence, Mann said the state government is focusing on promoting sports to positively channel the immense energy of Punjab's youth. "The aim is to instil a sporting culture in the state and steer young people away from the scourge of drug addiction," the chief minister said, adding, "These stadiums will be instrumental in promotion of sporting spirit across the state especially at village level." The chief minister criticised previous governments, stating that successive Congress and Akali-BJP regimes paid no attention to the development of sports infrastructure or youth employment. "As a result, drugs spread unchecked across the state, and Punjab's youth sank deeper into addiction," he claimed. Mann highlighted that the state is now witnessing a transformation, thanks to the ongoing anti-drug campaign, Yudh Nasheyan Virudh, launched by his government. The CM noted that the supply chains of narcotics have been disrupted, and many young people are beginning to overcome addiction. He praised the Punjab Police for dismantling drug networks - something that "previous governments failed to address seriously". Speaking about providing employment opportunities and world-class sports facilities to the youth, Mann said that accomplished sportspersons who have represented India at international levels would be appointed as coaches to train budding athletes in these new facilities. He further stated that Punjab is the first state in the country to offer financial assistance to athletes for their preparation ahead of international competitions - a step that has already shown promising results. He said that although previous governments ignored sports infrastructure, many individual athletes still managed to shine through personal grit and effort....