PMC to give Rs 50,000 scholarship to sportspersons feted with Maharashtra govt award

The PMC on Tuesday announced a scholarship of Rs 50,000 each to 255 sportspersons from the city awarded Shiv Chhatrapati award of the state government for their good performance.

“The PMC wants to encourage sportspersons to compete at national and international events by giving them scholarships. A total of 255 sportspersons from the city have been selected this year and an amount of Rs 1,27,50,000 has been approved. These sportspersons will be felicitated by the civic body at a function, for which Rs 5.07 lakh will be spent,” said Hemant Rasane, chairperson of the standing committee.

In 2013, the PMC framed a policy to promote sports in the city. The policy was revised two years ago and a scholarship of Rs 50,000 was decided for sportspersons under the policy.

In another decision, the standing committee approved the purchase of 200 tonnes of ammonium bicarbonate for distributing it among people so that it can be used to dissolve idols during the Ganesha festival. “National Chemical Laboratory has proved that ammonium bicarbonate dissolves idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP). It has been certified by Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), and the PMC has been using it for the past few years during Ganesha festival,” Rasane said, adding that this year the civic body will purchase 200 tonnes of ammonium bicarbonate to meet the increasing demand.

He said a total of six lakh Ganesha idols made out of PoP are worshiped across the city, but these idols did not dissolve in water and the colour polluted water bodies. “The PMC puts up water tanks in parts of the city and citizens can use the facility for immersing idols that can be dissolved with ammonium bicarbonate,” Rasane said.