Patna: Rural Bihar is undergoing a quiet transformation as the MNREGA employment scheme expands into sports infrastructure, building thousands of playgrounds, running tracks and volleyball courts across the state. Government data shows that 4,807 sports grounds have been constructed in the last two years — more than the number of gram panchayats initially targeted.
The project targets 4,716 village panchayats under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, with a budget of Rs. 522 crore. According to the rural development department, around 90% of the planned work is complete, and construction is ongoing at the remaining 534 sites.
Officials say the grounds range from one-acre community fields to large multi-sport complexes exceeding four acres, each costing between Rs. 10 lakh and Rs. 17 lakh to build. Many include running tracks, volleyball and badminton courts, and dedicated areas for football, kabaddi and kho-kho. Some are also equipped with boundary walls, storage rooms and basic facilities to host competitions.
Jawed Ali Khan, state programme officer for MNREGA, said the grounds are already being used for regular local tournaments. “This is not just about building infrastructure — it is about strengthening community spirit, discipline and fitness,” he said.
Rural development minister Shravan Kumar described the shift as a major cultural milestone for Bihar’s villages. “These grounds are helping young people prepare for army and police recruitment, supporting livelihoods, and protecting unused land,” he said. “What used to be empty fields are now symbols of aspiration and self-reliance.”
For many young people, the change means they no longer need to travel to cities for sports practice. Residents say the new infrastructure is improving health outcomes, encouraging sobriety and bringing new identity to villages once defined solely by agriculture and labour.
