Haryana CM Khattar honours CWG heroes with cash awards, jobs

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Tuesday honoured Commonwealth Games medal-winners and top performers with cash rewards and government jobs, and exhorted them to raise the countrys medals tally to number one.The gold medallists were given Rs 1.50 crore, silver medallists Rs 75 lakh and bronze medallists Rs 50 lakh.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Tuesday honoured Commonwealth Games medal-winners and top performers with cash rewards and government jobs, and exhorted them to raise the country's medals tally to number one.

The gold medallists were given Rs 1.50 crore, silver medallists Rs 75 lakh and bronze medallists Rs 50 lakh. Players who came fourth were given Rs 15 lakh while Rs 7.50 lakh was given to those who participated in the Birmingham games.

A total of 29 players from Haryana including those from the women's hockey team have won medals these games. Cumulatively Rs 25.80 crore was awarded to these players and they were also given appointment letters at the function here.

Khattar said there is a festive atmosphere in the entire state because of the achievements of the players. While winning medals is a record, participating in these world class competitions is a great achievement in itself, he said. Out of the 215 players participating in this year's Commonwealth Games, 42 are from Haryana. The players from Haryana won 20 medals out of the country's 61. Of these, 17 medals were won in individual events and three in team events.

Khattar said Haryana is the sports capital of the country and the rest of the nation is drawing inspiration from it. ''India has come fourth this time in the medal tally of Commonwealth Games and our target is to come first in this medal tally and this target can definitely be achieved by the players of Haryana,'' he said, giving the slogan ''Padak Lao, Padak Badhao'' (bring medals, raise the country's tally). He said Haryana's sportspersons an the state's sports policy have received praises from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The chief minister was addressing a function organized in Gurugram in honour of the medal winners and sportspersons of Commonwealth Games.

Haryana has won two golds, one silver and bronze each in boxing; six golds, one silver and four bronze medals in wrestling; and one bronze medal in athletics. Indian women's hockey team -- whose nine members are from the state won bronze medal. Savita Poonia, who hails from Sirsa, is the team's captain. ''In this way, the players of Haryana brought laurels to the country and the state by winning 28 percent of the total medals of the country. If Hockey is also included in this, then it increases to 32.7 percent,'' he said.

He said 550 new posts have been created in the sports department for players and 156 players have been given government jobs. The CM said the government has spent about Rs 526 crore on the development of sports infrastructure in the state. In order to develop sports culture among children, 1,100 sports nurseries are being opened in the state. This will benefit about 25,000 budding players of the state, he said. A monthly scholarship of Rs 1,500 will be given to the players between the age group of 8 to 14 years and Rs. 2,000 to the players between the age group of 15 to 19 years taking training in these nurseries, he said.

The state government is working on the policy of grooming players since childhood, he said, adding work is on to develop a Sports University at Rai in Sonipat.

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