Punjab Govt's big cash incentive: Rs 2.25 crore award for Tokyo gold medal winners

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 18

Punjab Government has announced a big cash prize for prospective medal winners at Tokyo Olympics from the state. State Sports Minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, who was addressing the state athletes who have qualified for the 2020 Summer Games, announced that the government would hand over Rs 2.25 crore to gold medal winners, Rs 1.5 crore to silver medal winners and Rs 1 crore to bronze medal winners.

In addition, the state government has also doled out Rs 5 lakh to the state athletes as a mark of encouragement in the lead up to the Games.

“First of all I want to wish all of you good luck for the Games and hope that you return with medals,” Sodhi said during a virtual conference on Friday.

“We have already deposited Rs 5 lakh in your accounts as a little encouragement so far. When you return with medals we will hand over Rs 2.25 crore to gold medal winners, Rs 1.5 crore to silver medal winners and Rs 1 crore to bronze medal winners,” Sodhi announced.

The state government handed over Rs 5 lakh to 26 athletes, including Indian men’s hockey captain Manpreet Singh, ace shooters Anjum Moudgil and Angad Vir Singh Bajwa, boxer Simranjit Kaur, discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur.

In total, there are 20 hockey stars – both men and women-- on the list.

When asked the reason for this late announcement of a cash incentive of Rs 5 Lakh for athletes, sports minister Sodhi said the idea was to help in any of the last-minute needs of the athletes.

“It is not a question of whether we were late in announcing this incentive. This amount is for several last-minute running repairs that crop up before major tournaments,” he explained.

“When I was active in sports I was given an ill-fitting jacket and I had to go to get it fitted for my size. Similarly, this token amount may come in handy for our athletes if they need to get any last-minute purchase or repairs,” he added.