Ludhiana: The 86th Kila Raipur Rural Olympics began here amid enthusiasm and traditional fervour on Tuesday, marking the return of the iconic bullock cart races after a 12-year gap. The event was inaugurated at Kila Raipur village stadium by Punjab Cabinet minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian.
The revival of the bullock cart races, deeply embedded in Punjab’s rural heritage, was a major attraction of the opening day. Khuddian, accompanied by MLA Jiwan Singh Sangowal and senior official Dr KNS Kang, said the races symbolise Punjab’s cultural identity and agrarian traditions.
He credited Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann for enabling the resumption of the races through the Punjab Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Punjab Amendment) Act, 2025, which introduced animal safety standards and addressed legal hurdles.
Highlighting the state government’s focus on sports, the minister said the Kila Raipur Rural Olympics plays a vital role in nurturing grassroots talent. He added that cash rewards for medal winners at the Olympics and major international events have been substantially increased, while Olympic medallists have been provided government jobs in the Punjab Civil Services and Punjab Police Services. Khuddian also said nearly 64,000 government jobs have been provided on merit, alongside major infrastructure initiatives including construction and upgradation of about 40,000 km of roads. He announced a Rs 30 lakh allocation for strengthening the local veterinary hospital.