The Punjab government will organise the fourth edition of Khedan Wattan Punjab Diyan from September 5 to November 29, with a target of involving more than 10 lakh participants across all age groups.The sporting event will begin with the opening ceremony at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium in Bathinda and conclude with the closing ceremony in Patiala.Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that sports will be made the biggest weapon to channelise the energy of youth and fight against drugs.“For the first time, a massive budget of Rs 1,794 crore has been allocated for sports. Along with developing 3,148 sports grounds and 6,000 gyms in villages, special work is also being undertaken in the field of sports medicine,” said the CM.He added that the government aims to involve 10 lakh players this year.“Through these games, we aim to prepare our children and youth for competitions at the national and international levels. A unique feature of Khedan Wattan Punjab Diyan is that it brings different generations together… This year, players from nine age groups will participate, ranging from 14 years to above 70 years of age,” he said.Mann said 38 sports disciplines would be organised this year, along with four para-sports — Athletics, Powerlifting, Badminton and Wheelchair Basketball.“Registration is completely free of cost. For the first time, the Sports Department has introduced QR-code-based registration, enabling players to register anytime and from anywhere,” the CM said.Registration can be completed through the Sports Department’s portal and the process is already underway.The competitions will be organised at block, district and state levels, covering all 153 blocks and all 23 districts of Punjab. The state-level games will be held across 16 districts.For the first time, Tennis Ball Cricket for both boys and girls has been included as a demonstration game.Gold medal winners at the state level will receive Rs 10,000, silver medal winners Rs 7,000 and bronze medal winners Rs 5,000.Medal winners up to 40 years of age will also receive a Gradation Certificate, making them eligible to avail the benefit of the sports quota in government jobs.State-level scheduleThe Para State-Level Games will be held in Ludhiana from November 25 to 28 and will feature Para Athletics, Para Powerlifting, Para Badminton and Wheelchair Basketball.The state-level competitions will be organised in three slots from October 10 to November 23 across 16 districts: Ludhiana, Mansa, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, SAS. Nagar, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Amritsar, Bathinda, Faridkot, Patiala, Sangrur, Rupnagar, Barnala, Fatehgarh Sahib and Malerkotla.The first slot, from October 10 to 15, will feature 13 disciplines, while the second slot from October 17 to 23 will feature 13 disciplines. The third slot from November 17 to 23 will feature 12 disciplines.The four para disciplines — Para Athletics, Para Powerlifting, Para Badminton and Wheelchair Basketball — will subsequently be held in Ludhiana from November 25 to 28.