Thaindian News

Rai (Haryana), Nov 1 (IANS) After doling out huge cash rewards for the Commonwealth Games medallists, the Haryana government Monday announced a whopping Rs.2 crore for athletes from the state who win gold in the 2012 London Olympics.

Amid thunderous response, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda outlined what Haryana players have to gain if they come on top at the London Olympics and the Guangzhou Asian Games this month.

He said Rs.2.5 million (25 lakh) will be given for winning gold medal in the Asian Games. Silver and bronze medal winners will get Rs.1.5 mn (15 lakh) and Rs.1 million (10 lakh) respectively.

Hooda said that gold, silver and bronze medal winners from Haryana at the London Olympics will get cash rewards of Rs.20 million (2 crore), Rs.10 million (1 crore) and Rs.5 million (50 lakh) respectively.

Earlier, the reward for medals in Olympic Games was Rs.10 million, Rs.5 million and Rs.2.5 million.

The announcement was made at the Moti Lal Nehru School of Sports here in Sonipat district at a state-level public function ‘Chak De Haryana-Chak De India’ to honour the CWG medal winners.

Thousands swarmed the sports complex. Hundreds could not get entry into the packed stadium.

“Haryana players won 37 medals of the total of 101 medals India won in these Commonwealth Games. Not only this, out of the 38 gold medals won by India, 21 were bagged by Haryanavi players,” Hooda said at the event, which coincided with Haryana’s 44th creation day (Haryana was created Nov 1, 1966).

Besides the largesse for medal winners, players who could not win medals at the CWG were also given cash rewards of Rs.200,000 each at the ceremony. Haryana had the largest contingent among all states in the CWG comprising 54 players.

The chief minister said a “Haryana Sportspersons Development Fund” would be created to benefit players of various disciplines from the state. Sports academies will also come up in various parts of the state.

Hooda said that Rs.5.1 mn (51 lakh), Rs.3.1 mn (31 lakh), Rs.2.1 mn (21 lakh) and Rs.1.1 mn (11 lakh) would be granted for development work in villages producing medal winners in the Commonwealth Games.

“This is being done so that the villagers also feel proud of the victory of their children. We will provide suitable jobs to these players. The Central Bank of India has said it will give Rs.5 lakh, Rs.3 lakh and Rs.1 lakh to Haryana winners in the Commonwealth Games.

“New academies would be set up at Jind (Kabaddi), Rohtak (athletics), Shahbad (women’s hockey), Sirsa (men’s hockey), Faridabad (shooting), Sonipat (wrestling) and Panchkula (lawn tennis and badminton).

“Work is already in progress for a cricket academy at Jhajjar, Boxing academy at Bhiwani, football academy at Gurgaon and basketball academy at Kiloi in Rohtak district,” Hooda said.