Bittu questions state govt over not rewarding medal winners
Member of Parliament from Ludhiana, Ravneet Singh Bittu, has questioned the state government for “letting down” the medal winners of the state in Commonwealth as well as in Asian games.
Member of Parliament from Ludhiana, Ravneet Singh Bittu, has questioned the state government for “letting down” the medal winners of the state in Commonwealth as well as in Asian games.
Bittu said the state government had failed in providing any reward that was announced to the winners of these games.
“It is shameful that on the one hand, sportspersons, who have brought laurels to the state by winning medals at the Commonwealth and Asian Games this year, were yet to receive Rs 2.65 crore as their share of prize money as announced by the state government, on the other hand the Haryana government has already given away the entire prize money of Rs 13.75 crore to all its CWG medal winners,” Bittu said.
He questioned that in such circumstances, who will play for the state, which has failed to live up to its commitment and that too when other states were fulfilling their promise on the ground itself.
Bittu informed that as per the 2010 sports policy, a player having earned 625 points in various national and international events is entitled to a DSP rank in the Punjab police.
“The cash award in the policy was introduced to compensate the medal winners of national and international sports events for the expenses incurred on diet, training and preparation,” he said.
Bittu wondered as to why the state government was reluctant in implementing its sports policy in the state. “Players from Punjab are feeling cheated and the prolonged delay in the release of both cash and prize money is now affecting their motivation levels,” Bittu said.