Para-badminton players given â‚ą1.82 cr cash reward following policy amendment
Indian para-athletes will become eligible for receiving more frequent and immediate cash grants on achieving something in the international arena as per the Sports Ministry's latest policy. The medal winners at the para-badminton World Championships became the first beneficiaries of the same.
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday announced a cash reward totaling a handsome amount of Rs 1.82 crore to the successful national contingent of para-badminton players returning from the World Championships.
The handover of the money came following two major changes in the Sports Ministry's policies to encourage the nation's para-athletes.
According to the same, now onwards all medalists in events “which are organised by International Paralympic Committee as well as in events that are not organised by IPC, but by respective International Sports Federations and recognised by International Olympic Committee, will be eligible for cash awards from the government”. Considering IPC is not the organizer of the Championships, the players would have previously missed out on the grant.
Moreover, the money will be provided to the athletes immediately after they return to India after having been successful in an international event. Earlier, the para-athletes had to wait for the annual ceremony to be handed their respective due for their achievement.
The triumphant medal winners having secured 12 of them for the country met Kiren Rijiju at the Sports Authority of India complex on Monday where they were handed over the cheques.
Gold medallists were given 20 lakhs while the silver and bronze medallists were provided with 14 and 8 lakhs respectively. The corresponding amounts for the doubles event were Rs 15 lakh, Rs 10.5 lakh and Rs 6 lakh.
“We want to ensure that all athletes are provided the same facilities by the government. The para-badminton team has performed very well and brought glory to the country, they deserve to be rewarded for their hard work,” Rijiju was quoted as saying by Sportstar.
