CHENNAI: Aiming at global honours for Tamil Nadu in the field of sports, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday made a suo motu statement in the Assembly announcing several measures to boost the development of sports in the State.In incentives to improve sportspersons’ performance, the Chief Minister raised cash awards for medal winners in international and national sporting events, besides announcing that a world-class Centre of Excellence in Sports (CES) would be set up in Chennai at a cost of Rs 1 crore with additional Rs 70.90 lakh per annum allotment.“Catch ’em young” seems to be the mantra to win international events, as the CM announced that 25 boys and 25 girls in the 10-14 age group would be selected from across the State and imparted training scientifically at CES. The government will also help the students get quality education in reputed schools.Extending the same facilities to other parts of the state, Jayalalithaa proposed setting up residential sports hostels in 23 districts where everything will be free-of-cost for the students. The hostels will house modern gyms, and expert guidance would be given to those attending events abroad. Besides, a scheme that includes imparting medals-oriented training will be implemented at a cost of Rs1.25 crore.Recalling that in 2002, during her earlier stint as Chief Minister, she had increased the amount of the cash awards for winners of international sporting events, Jayalalithaa said sportspersons from the State who win gold medals in Olympics would now get Rs2 crore instead of the Rs1 crore at present, while silver and bronze medal winners would receive Rs1 crore and Rs50 lakh respectively against the present Rs50 lakh and Rs25 lakh.Gold medal winners of Commonwealth Games and Asian games will get Rs50 lakh and winners of silver and bronze medals will get Rs30 lakh and Rs20 lakh respectively. Earlier, the cash award was Rs20 lakh, Rs15 lakh andRs10 lakh for gold, silver and bronze.
Comments
0 comment