The Kerala government on Friday announced a cash award of over Rs one crore to the state football team which recently lifted the prestigious Santosh Trophy beating heavyweights Bengal in a penalty shootout in the final. A cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, took the decision to give a total of Rs 1.14 crore as cash prize to the team- Rs five lakh each to 20 players and the main coach and three lakh each to the assistant coach, manager and goalkeeper trainer, an official statement said here.
Vijayan later said in a Facebook post that the Kerala team's achievement on their own soil after 29 years has infused a fresh energy to the entire sports sector of the state.
"It will be an inspiration for the young generation to enter the sports sector," he said adding that the cash award was the honour of the land to the members of the winning team for their effort.