Leh, Dec 14: MGNREGA is helping in creating Ice Hockey Infrastructure at village level in Kargil district of Ladakh. Last few years have witnessed a great progress in Ladakh's Winter Sports.
Under MGNREGA's Employment Generation Schemes, four Ice Hockey Rinks have been constructed while two Ice Hockey Rinks have been constructed under Special Development Package. Assistant Commissioner Development of Kargil, Ghulam Mohammad said that 80 per cent Mandays have been achieved this year which has helped people as well as established some Ice Hockey Rinks.
Stongday, Sapi, Purtikchey, Bodhkharboo, Wadoo Wakha and Pasathang Shakar were some of the villages which got the benefit of Ice Skating Rink. The Ice Hockey Rink at Stongday Village in Zanskar Sub Division has been functional with children learning Ice Hockey.
Ice hockey in India is mostly played in north Indian places like Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, obviously because of favorable environment. The game was part of the 2020 Khelo India Winter Games played in Gulmarg. Ladakh, specially, is host to the world's highest altitude women's ice hockey tournament.