Punjab govt. gives cash award of Rs 7.48 cr to sportspersons

The Punjab government today honoured its sportspersons who have won medals at Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and other international events with the aim to motivate them for the 2012 London Olympics.

Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy Sukhbir Singh Badal gave cash prizes worth Rs 7.58 crore to over 50 athletes.

Seventeen Commonwealth Games medallists got Rs 2.58 crore while as many Asian Games medallists were awarded Rs 3 crore.

Ronjan Sodhi, who won one gold and one bronze medal at the Asian Games and two silver at the Delhi Games, took home a cash award of Rs 95 lakh, while athletes Manjit Kaur and Mandeep Kaur won Rs 48 and 43.50 lakh, respectively.

Shooters Manavjit Singh Sandhu was richer by Rs 58.66 lakh, Abhinav Bindra by Rs 43 lakh and Heena Sidhu took home Rs 48.33 lakh.

As per the state's sports policy, any player winning an individual or team gold in Olympics will be awarded Rs 2.25 crore. The silver and bronze medallists would take home Rs 1.01 crore and Rs 51 lakh, respectively.

The gold, silver and bronze winners at Asian Games be awarded Rs 26 lakh, 16 lakh and 11 lakh and Commonwealth Games medallists would win Rs 16 lakh, Rs 11 lakh and Rs 6 lakh respectively.

Speaking on the occasion, Badal said the government was fully alive to its responsibility to nurture, facilitate and encourage sportspersons who bring laurels and glory to the state and the country by winning medals at national and international levels.

He said that the presentation of cash incentives to eminent sportspersons was an expression of appreciation and gratitude of the state to them.