By IANS,
Bhiwani (Haryana) : Any player from Haryana qualifying for the Olympics in future will get a cash reward of Rs 1.1 million, said Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda here Saturday, adding “we want to make Haryana a super-power in sports”.
He announced a string of incentives for past, present and future sportspersons saying that the state would not lag behind in offering financial help and facilities to those willing to make an international career in sports.
He was speaking at a function to honour sportspersons who excelled in the Beijing Olympics in this south-west Haryana town, 300 km from Chandigarh.
“I urge the players to take a pledge that India will get a minimum of 10 gold medals in the 2012 London Olympics. We want to make Haryana into a super-power in sports,” said Hooda.
Hundreds of people from here and neighbouring villages thronged the Bhim stadium here to witness the ceremony to honour the Olympians.
On the occasion, Olympics boxing bronze medal winner Vijender Kumar was the centre of attraction at the function in this town that has come to be known as the ‘Cuba of India’ for the number of boxers from here making their mark at the international level.
Vijender was given a cash award of Rs.5 million by Hooda who also announced that the boxer will be allotted a residential plot here.
Hooda, who had earlier announced that all three boxers from here – Vijender Kumar, Akhil Kumar and Jitender Kumar – would be made deputy superintendents (DSP) in the Haryana police, Saturday offered Vijender to choose whether he wanted to be a police DSP or a deputy director in the Haryana sports department.
Shooter and first individual Olympics gold medal winner Abhinav Bindra did not come for the function and his reward of Rs.2.5 million was collected by his representative.
Hooda also gave away a cash award of Rs.2.5 million each to bronze medal winner wrestler Sushil Kumar of Delhi, boxers Akhil Kumar and Jitender. A similar award was given to wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and badminton player Saina Nehwal for reaching the quarterfinals in the Beijing Olympics.
Three other players, discus thrower Krishna Punia, shooter Sanjiv Rajpoot and boxer Dinesh, were given cash awards of Rs.1.1 million for qualifying for the Beijing Olympics.
The boxers’ coach, Jagdish Singh, was given an award of Rs.2.5 million for his efforts in producing international boxers.
The chief minister announced that a monthly pension of Rs.5,000 would be given to all Arjuna awardees and Dronacharya award winners from the state.
Hooda said that an international standard boxing academy would be set up here. He said that training academies for other sports would be set up at other places in Haryana to train youngsters.