Punjab to give monthly stipend to sportspersons

CHANDIGARH, (PTI): Punjab Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer on Tuesday launched a scholarship scheme to give monthly stipend to sportspersons who bag first three positions in national competitions.

Hayer said a new sports policy will also be launched by the state government, under which sportspersons winning medals in international events will be recruited directly by creating a special cadre under the Sports Department.

The government will also launch a health insurance scheme for sportspersons, he said addressing the media here.

Launching the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior Scholarship Scheme, he said the Punjab players who bag first three positions in sports events at senior national championships will be given Rs 8,000 per month for one year.

Similarly, junior national medal players will be given Rs 6,000 per month, said Hayer, adding that the stipend will continue if they again win medals after one year.

The late hockey legend’s daughter Sushbir Kaur hailed the announcement of the state government.

”The Punjab government’s such efforts will surely bring positive results,” Kaur told PTI.

The minister said an annual budget of Rs 12.50 crore has been reserved by the department for this scheme, claiming that Punjab is the first state in the country which will give stipend to sportspersons.

Apart from providing sports equipment to players, new coaches will be recruited at a large scale, said the minister. The diet stipend of day scholar players has been increased from Rs 100 to Rs 125 per day and those of players residing in hostels has been increased from Rs 200 to Rs 225, he said.

Replying to a question, Hayer said, ”We are coming up with a new sports policy and trying to create a separate sports cadre under the Sports Department.” ”Sportspersons who bring medals in international events can be recruited directly,” he said.

Giving diet, coaching, sports equipment, jobs and cash prizes to players will be key factors of the policy, he said. He said the Sports Department will soon hire 220 new coaches to boost sports activity in the state. (PTI)