JOIN USThe Delhi government is preparing to pay cash incentive to school children who win medals in last year’s sports events – a reflection of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s focus on promoting sports.
The cash incentive varies from Rs 2,000 for medal winner in zonal level sports meets to Rs 1 crore for Olympics gold medal winner sports person, said an official of the sports branch of the education department.
“Applications have been invited from players of Delhi who brought laurels in various international, national and state tournaments for the period April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2016,” said an official coordinating the process of receiving application forms at Chhatrasal Stadium in Model Town.
In 2013-14, Delhi set a record for itself by winning a record 354 gold medals in National School Games. The earlier best till then was 293 gold medals in 2012-13.
For the on-going cash incentive scheme, the Kejriwal government has also alerted all school principals to inform all medal winning students for sending their application under the scheme.
The sports branch of the education department is accepting sportspersons’ applications for cash incentives till July 31, said a functionary in the office of Deputy Director of Education (Sports) Asha Aggarwal.
After Kejriwal’s instructions to Education Minister Manish Sisodia for promoting co-curricular activities, the government is also preparing a blueprint for using sports facilities at 29 sports clubs and academies to train sportspersons from schools.
Professional trainers will be hired for students of government schools excelling in table tennis, martial art, boxing, cricket, chess and kho-kho.
"The use of clubs is likely to begin with the reopening of schools after summer vacations in July first week,” said an official. The Delhi government in 2014 doubled the cash incentives to the players bringing laurels to the country in various international tournaments including the Olympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships and other international tournaments.
A scheme for cash incentive for coaches of sportspersons who bring laurels to the country was also started, besides the appointment of Olympic gold medalist wrestler Sushil Kumar as the brand ambassador of Delhi.
An official said the Directorate of Education is working on a three-fold strategy for young sportspersons - grooming players, identifying talent of upcoming student players and broad basing of sports at mass level.
It said that the government has started providing funds at the grass root level for promotion of sports an improve infrastructure in its schools in a phased manner.
In the first phase, around 80 government schools have been identified for improvement of facilities.