Sports ministry to introduce welfare scheme for sportspersons

Sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) The sports ministry is planning to start a welfare scheme for national sportspersons who have brought laurels for the country in the past but are now living in penury.

Sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that the ministry is implementing a scheme named 'National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons' under which ex-gratia financial assistance will be given to former sportspersons who have fallen on bad times.

In a written reply, Sonowal said: "The ministry is implementing a scheme named 'National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons' under which there is a provision for ex-gratia financial assistance to outstanding sportspersons of yesteryears, now living in indignant circumstances whose annual income is less than Rs.2 lakh."

Sonowal said the government was keen on encouraging sports in the country.

The ministry is also planning to give monthly pensions to Olympians and national players, who won medals at the international level. Under the scheme, Olympic medallists would be given a pension of Rs.10,000 per month, while the gold medallists at the World Cup/World Championships in Olympic and Asian Games disciplines will get Rs.8,000.

Silver and bronze medallists in World Cup/World Championships in the Olympic and Asian Games disciplines and gold medallists of the Asian and Commonwealth Games will get Rs.7,000.

Silver and bronze medal winners in the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games will get Rs.6,000, while gold medallists of Paralympic Games will get Rs.5,000. Silver and bronze medallists of Paralympic Games will get a monthly pension of Rs.3,000.