After facing embarrassment over the controversy surrounding proposed deduction in cash prize for Commonwealth Games-2018 winners from the State, the Manohar lal Khattar Government in Haryana on Friday decided to give
full award money to the sportspersons. The Chief Minister Manohar lal has accorded approval to a proposal in this regard.
“All 22 sportspersons of the State, who won medals at the Commonwealth Games-2018 will be given full award money,” said Anil Vij, Haryana Sports and Youth Affairs Minister.
Vij said these sportsperson will soon be given the award money as per the sports policy of the State Government without any deduction.
Twenty-two sportspersons of Haryana had won medals in the XXI Commonwealth Games-2018 held at Gold Coast, Australia, this year which is 33 per cent of the total medals won by the country. The sportspersons from Haryana won nine gold medal, six silver medal and seven bronze medals in the Commonwealth Games.
Vij said as per the sports policy, the gold medal winning sportsperson of the State will be given class-A Government job along with Rs 1.50 crore as award money.
Similarly, the silver medal winners will be given class-B Government job with award money of Rs 1 crore and bronze medal winners will be given class-C Government job and Rs 50 lakh as award money. Apart from this, each participating sportsperson would also be provided Rs 7.5 lakh as incentive money, he added.
Earlier, the Haryana Government had to cancel its April 26 felicitation function for the States CWG medal winners following threats of boycott from the top athletes over the proposed cut in their prize money.
Top athletes such as gold medalists wrestler Vinesh Phogat (women’s free style), javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, wrestler Bajrang Punia, bronze medallist Manoj Kumar among others had hinted at boycotting the event over the Government’s proposed cut in the prize money.
At that time, it was announced by the Government that as per the sports policy, in case of athletes who represent institutions such as the Army or Railways and are given cash prizes by them, the Haryana Government would deduct the amount given by the institution from their stated cash award.
The Government’s move, which was severely criticised by the sportspersons and the Opposition parties, was to affect a total of 13 of the 22 CWG winners from Haryana representing Central Government organisations such as Indian Railways and Indian Army.
Taking a U-turn on the previous decision, Sports Minister Anil Vij on Friday said the sports policy of the State is first-of-its-kind policy under which sportsperson are being given highest award money in the country as well as employment opportunities.
The State Government would continue to take steps for encouraging the sportsperson and hoped that they would bring laurels to the state and the country in Olympics Games also, he added.
The BJP-led State Government had earlier this month, again came under severe attack over its order asking sportspersons from Haryana to hand over one third of their earnings from professional events and endorsement to sports council. The order had stirred a major controversy following which the CM had announced to put it on hold.