2749 Khelo India athletes given Rs 30,000 each: Sports Authority of India

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Sunday said that it has deposited Rs 30,000 each as out of pocket allowance in accounts of 2749 Khelo India athletes, adding up to Rs 8.25 crore in all.

"The money has been transferred to the bank accounts of the athletes on May 22, 2020. A total of 2893 athletes will be given the OPA for the period, with the funds to the remaining 144 athletes to be transferred by the end of May 2020," a press release from SAI said.

The allowance is for the first quarter of 2020-21.

The allowance includes expenses towards travel to hometown, diet charges while at home and other miscellaneous expenses incurred by the athletes.

The release further said that athletes from 35 states and union territories have been given the OPA in 21 sporting disciplines with the maximum number of them from Maharashtra (386), Haryana (381), Delhi (225), Punjab (202) and Tamil Nadu (165).

The OPA is Rs 1.20 lakh annually and is a part of the Khelo India scholarship of Rs 6.28 lakh that is given to each athlete selected under the scheme, annually.