Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday asserted that Haryana had firmly established itself as a sports powerhouse in the country on the back of its progressive and result-oriented sports policy, while neighbouring Punjab continued to grapple with the menace of drug abuse.Addressing a gathering after inaugurating Allengers Gully Cricket Season 4 at the Sector 16 Sports Stadium, Chandigarh, the Chief Minister said the state government had invested over Rs 1,000 crore in the past 11 and a half years to create world-class sports infrastructure. This sustained investment had enabled Haryana’s athletes to consistently bring laurels to the nation at national and international platforms, he said.Referring to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making India a global sporting power by the 2036 Olympics, the Chief Minister said Haryana had made adequate provisions in the 2026–27 state budget to further strengthen sports infrastructure, enhance training facilities and promote the use of modern technology in sports.To secure the future of athletes, the Chief Minister said the ‘Haryana Outstanding Sportspersons Service Rules, 2021’ had been implemented, under which 550 posts had been created in the Sports Department, and 231 sportspersons had already been given government employment. He further informed that a state-of-the-art rehabilitation centre had been set up at Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex, Panchkula, for the treatment and recovery of injured athletes.Since 2014–15, nearly 24,000 student-athletes have been awarded scholarships amounting to Rs 70 crore.