1,140 sportspersons to be honoured on I-Day: Vij

Haryana Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Anil Vij on Sunday said 1,140 sportspersons, who have won medals or participated in national and international

level sports competitions, will be honoured at district level functions to be organised on occasion of Independence Day.

On this occasion, the Governor, the Chief Minister and the Ministers would be chief guest in  the Independence Day functions  where they will distribute about Rs 36 crore to such sportspersons, he said.

Vij said that on this occasion, total 22 sportspersons from Haryana who have won medals in Commonwealth Games would be given Rs 21.50 crore and the five participants would get Rs 37.50 lakh.

The Minister further said that cash prises of about Rs 3.53 crore would be given to 61 sportspersons who had won medals in international competitions during 2016-17.

Similarly, about Rs 10.46 crore would be distributed to about 1,050 sportspersons who had won medals or participated in national level competitions during 2016-17.

From 2014 to 2017, the present State Government has distributed about Rs 176.21 crore to 7,471 sportspersons. Of these, Rs 29.67 crore was distributed to 1,786 sportspersons in 2014-15 and Rs 92.14 crore to 3,579 sportspersons in 2015-16.

Similarly, Rs 54.40 crore was distributed to 2,106 sportspersons in 2016-17, he said.

Vij added the present State Government has not only framed new sports policy for encouraging the sportspersons, but also provided jobs to them on merit basis.