Sodhi assures sportspersons of 3% quota in govt jobs

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 23

Punjab Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi today assured the state’s sportspersons of reservation in government jobs under the new sports policy.

Addressing a gathering during the Punjab State Youth Festival - 2020 at Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Sodhi said three per cent quota had been reserved in government jobs for the meritorious sportspersons.

“In the new sports policy of the Punjab Government a total of three per cent of the jobs would be reserved for the sportspersons and medal winners,” said Sodhi.

“In addition, the Punjab government has also hiked the prize money given to sports achievers and medal winners from the state. The government will now offer a sum of Rs2.5 crore along with government job to a gold medal winner in the Olympics, while the silver medallist will get Rs2 crore and bronze medal winner will be given Rs1.5 crore,” the minister added.

Sodhi further said the government would now give Rs1 crore to a gold medal winner at the Asian or Commonwealth Games. The silver medal and bronze medal winners will get Rs75 lakh and Rs50 lakh, respectively.

“The overall budget for the sports has been hiked by 35 per cent and would now be about Rs150 crore,” Sodhi revealed.

The two-day state-level Youth Festival is being hosted by the Department of Youth Services, Government of Punjab, with the theme Naari Da Sanman (Educating Youth to Respect Women), Nashiya da Tyaag (Give up Drugs) - Aao Sirjiye Nawa Punjab (Let’s participate in building New Punjab).

“By hosting the Youth Festival, the government wants to convey the message to the youth of Punjab that your participation is crucial for the development of the state,” he said.

Sodhi also launched the official website — www.cuchd.in/pyf — of the Punjab State Youth Festival. “Youth from different parts of Punjab would also be taking part in the state talent hunt in which they would be participating in 16 categories of art and craft, cultural, literary and designing competitions. It is an attempt by the government to provide a platform to the budding talent of the state,” said Sodhi.

“The Government of Punjab would be honoring the youth achievers with ‘Punjab Youth Icon Awards’ and ‘Punjab Youth Achievers Award 2020’… those who have excelled in the field of sports, science and technology, civil and administrative services, defense services, entrepreneurship, cinema and music, culture and literature and brought laurels to the community,” the minister mentioned.

“A career summit will be organised as a part of the Punjab State Youth Festival in which the youth would be apprised about the career opportunities in the emerging fields and plenary sessions would be organised by the experts from the industry, civil services, defense services, representatives of foreign embassies and delegates from international universities,” added Sanjay Popali, Special Secretary and Director, Sports & Youth Services.