SHILLONG:
The State Department of Sports and Youth Affairs held the felicitation programme of sports achievers at regional, zonal, national and international level competitions and launched a cash award scheme at the U Soso Tham Auditorium on Wednesday.
With India’s strong performances at Olympics 2021 and overall achievements of the discipline improving, national enthusiasm around sports of different kinds have gone up and the disciplines have been given some long overdue attention.
A total of 231 sportspersons from various Olympic and Non-Olympic disciplines were felicitated at the event. Along with the felicitation, a unique Cash Reward Scheme was also launched to recognise the achievements of sportspersons at the Regional/National/ International Championships and support sportspersons financially so that requirements for better preparations are met. The scheme aims to encourage sportspersons to work harder for greater achievements in the higher-level competitions like the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships and Olympics and many others.
Once the sportspersons get into the National team, more cash awards other than the award being given by the state government will also be available. The amounts earmarked are – Olympic Games – 100 lakhs for Gold medal, 50 lakhs for Silver medal and 30 lakhs for Bronze medal. Cash awards for National Games winners are 30 lakhs for Gold medal, 10 lakhs for Silver medal and 5 lakhs for Bronze medal. Sportspersons of the State can also hope to reap the Cash Awards from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Govt. of India for achieving excellence at the National Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World championships and the Olympic Games. Coaches of the medal winning athletes in various competitions shall also be eligible for cash awards.
The event was attended by , Chief Minister Shri Conrad K. Sangma, who was the chief guest and guest of honour, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Government of Meghalaya Banteidor Lyngdoh. Vijay Kumar, Commissioner & Secretary, Smti W.A.M. Booth, Director of Sports & Youth Affairs, Shivansh Avasthi, Under Secretary of Sports & Youth Affairs, Members of MSOA and various sporting associations were also present at the event.