About:
- Kila Raipur Sports Festival is popularly known as the Rural Olympics.
- Venue: Kila Raipur (near Ludhiana), in Punjab.
- When Held: It is annually held in the month of February.
- Key Highlights: Three types of competitions are held during rural meets, Purely rural games: Kabaddi, Wrestling, Weight-lifting etc. Modern sports like athletics, hockey, football, volleyball, cycling, handball etc. Performing sports like acrobatics.
- Background: In 1933, Philanthropist Inder Singh Grewal visualised an annual recreational meet where farmers from areas surrounding Kila Raipur could get together and test their corporal endurance. The idea gave birth to Kila Raipur Sports.
Recent Decision by Punjab Cabinet:
- The bullock cart races were prohibited by the Supreme Court in 2014.
- The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (Central Act 59 of 1960) was enacted to prevent infliction of unnecessary cruelty and suffering on animals. The Act also recognises the need to exempt the application of its provisions in certain circumstances.
- Now the State government has decided to exempt bullock-cart racing in Kila Raipur rural sports event from the provisions of the said Central Act 59 of 1960, in view of the significant role played by the traditional rural sports event and fair.
