Jharkha✃nd Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday felicitated 274 sportspersons and coaches and gave away cash prizes totalling Rs 4.94 crore.
Soren said the initiative will encourage ♏sports and promote the state's players and coaches.
"For the pas♒t 20 years, sportspersons were not sure about their future. Now, I can assure them not to worry about it. You (players) just play, th🦩e government will take care of your future," Soren said.
The chief minister gave away cash awards totalling Rs 4.46 cr💫ore to 222 players who won medals in national and international events in 19 different disciplines.
They include 55 footballers, 39 hockey players, 24 Wushu pla🍌yers, 23 archers, 17 Taekwondo players, 13 wrestlers, 11 lawn ball players and 11 athletes.
On the occasion, 52 coaches were also hono🌜ured with cash rewards o꧋f Rs 48.30 lakh.
Soren said not just players, the government also has ꦚplans for coaches as they play an important role 🧸in honing the skills of players.
"𝓰Earlier, medal winners in the state were given a paltry Rs 5,000 to Rs 7000. I told the department concerned that the cash prize should🙈 not be less than Rs 50,000," Soren said.
Under the Jharkhand Sports Policy-2022, the honorarium or cash prize money has been increased for players who ha📖veᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ won medals or participated in events recognized by the national, international or Olympic associations, an official said.
Now, a provis𓆏io🌳n of Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 crore honorarium has been made for players. For coaches, it will be Rs 50,000 to Rs 25 lakh, Jharkhand sports secretary Manoj Kumar said.
-With PTI Input
