GUWAHATI, July 19: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday promised government jobs to all sportspersons of the state who bag medals at national-level sports events apart from those who bring laurels to the state and country at the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
Replying to a question from Opposition MLA Durgadas Boro in the Assam Assembly, Sarma said that all former medal winners of Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games as well as national-level ‘Olympic-discipline’ sports tournaments, shall be entitled to sports pension.
Sarma also asked the MLA to provide a list of such medal-winning sportspersons who have been left out of the list of beneficiaries for sports pension.
Later addressing mediapersons on the Assembly premises, sports and youth affairs minister Bimal Borah said that the decision to provide government jobs to medal-winners of such tournaments has been taken to motivate our athletes to raise the bar and perform better apart from creating an ambience for sports in the state.
“Former medal winners in Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games as well as national-level ‘Olympic-discipline’ sports tournaments shall be entitled to a sports pension, which we have decided to enhance from Rs 8000 to Rs 10,000 per month,” Borah said.
“Moreover, all MLAs can now take up a Rs 10-crore signature project each to develop sports infrastructure in their respective constituencies. Funds shall be provided to create state-of-the-art sports infrastructure in every district as well,” he said.
The amended sports policy of Assam (2017-2018) has provisions for government jobs for medalists in Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
