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The Sports Ministry of Punjab has come up with a unique way to welcome the new year by introducing sporting calendars. Prepared by the Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Punjab Sports University, Patiala, the calendars will be available in both wall and table formats.
The state's Sports Minister, Meet Hayer, released the calendars on Sunday, December 31, in the presence of Special Chief Secretary Saravjit Singh and Punjab Sports University Vice Chancellor Lt General (Retd) J.S. Cheema.
The calendars will feature all major sports persons from the state of Punjab, including Asian Games medalists and Olympic medalists. Various Punjabi athletes honored by the country like Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Khel Ratna, and Arjuna awardees will also feature in the calendar.
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The Sports Minister also praised the state's new sporting policy, stating that it had resulted in Punjabi players breaking a 72-year-old record of Asian Games, and winning a total of 20 medals, including eight golds at the event.
Punjab's sporting scholarships and incentives
Meanwhile, in order to ensure that the state's players receive the ideal support required to thrive, the Punjab government has put in place multiple rewards.
On the international level, gold medal winners at an important event like the Asian Games were awarded INR 1 crore. Meanwhile, silver medalists of the event pocketed INR 75 lakhs, while bronze medalists were awarded 50 lakhs.
Punjabi athletes also enjoy healthy rewards for their performances on the domestic level. Players from the state were awarded cash prizes totaling more than INR 5 crore for participation at the 36th National Games organized in Gujarat.
Meanwhile, the government also implemented the Balbir Singh Senior Scholarship to encourage sportspeople at grassroot levels. The scholarship translates to a stipend worth Rs. 16,000 per month for athletes medaling in senior national events. Meanwhile, juniors who finish on the podium in national events will get INR 12,000 a month under the scholarship.
