SHILLONG/ NONGPOH, Oct 26: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday said the state government will try to increase the cash rewards, incentives and support to the athletes who bring laurels to the state in national and international sports events.
He was speaking to reporters during an event at State Convention Centre to felicitate the medal winners and athletes who represented India at the World Arm Wrestling Championship and World Para-Arm Wrestling held recently in Turkey.
The athletes who represented India in the Pro-Am Universe Championship held in Thailand and the WFF Pro-Am Asia Pacific held in Vietnam were also felicitated on the occasion.
The MDA Government distributed cash incentives worth a total of Rs 12.50 lakh to 11 athletes at Wednesday’s event. World Armwrestling champion Margaret Pathaw was awarded a cheque of Rs 5 lakh.
Sangma said the government increased the cash award for gold medal winners from a paltry Rs 7,500 to Rs 2.5 lakh after the State Youth Policy, 2019, was implemented.
“Our endeavour was to increase the cash awards to the deserving athletes who shine in national and international events. But we do have budgetary limitations,” he said.
He congratulated the arm wrestlers and bodybuilders who made Meghalaya proud by winning medals in international competitions.
The government’s endeavour has always been to recognise the efforts of the sportspersons, he said.
“The support of the state government to the current group which went to Turkey has yielded good results,” Sangma said.
“We would like to see similar results in other disciplines too,” he added.
Emphasising on better infrastructure, Sangma said the government has budgeted Rs 500 crore for the development of sports infrastructure and a part of these investments are being utilised for building better facilities and stadiums for the sportspersons. He hoped that in the future better sports facilities can be provided in the districts, subdivisions and blocks across the state.
“We may have all the policies, we may have the right system in place but if we don’t have the infrastructure to help and allow athletes and sportspersons to practice then things fall flat and hence a comprehensive plan and strategy has been developed to provide better state of the art facilities in the state,” he said.
Grand welcome for Margaret Pathaw
Earlier in the day, World Armwrestling champion Margaret Pathaw was accorded a warm welcome by hundreds of people from all walks of life when she arrived in her hometown Umsning on Wednesday afternoon.
Eight others including Alan S Marbaniang, Kishore Chettri, Everson Thangkhiew, ka Angel Mary Mylliem Khunsyiem Umlong, Airikyrmenlang Lyngdoh, Alexander Lyngdoh, Hubert Paliar and Banshan Terang participated in the event held in Antalya, Turkey from October 12-22.
After the sportspersons had landed at the Guwahati airport, they were greeted with bouquets and mufflers by their family members, well-wishers, leaders of NGOs and members of Meghalaya Armwrestling Association.
Later, they were felicitated by the KSU’s North Khasi Hills District unit at Nongpoh and by the Ri-Bhoi District Sports Association at Nongthymmai Umsning. Finally, the Umsning Town Dorbar and the people of Umsning area accorded them a grand welcome at Umsning.
Pathaw had won gold in the Left Hand and silver in the Right Hand categories of the 60kg Women Master Class. Umlong had won bronze in the same category while Alexander Lyngdoh won bronze in the below 80kg category of Para Armwrestling Championship.
Addressing a gathering at Umsning, Pathaw thanked God and expressed her gratitude to all the organisations and the people for the grand welcome.
She said she faced financial difficulties and went through ups and downs in her 25 years of journey in armwrestling. She said she was losing hope and considering giving up but her husband Rocky Shylla, children and the people of Umsning always stood by her and encouraged and motivated her.
She said the lack of financial assistance is a major issue facing the sportspersons in Meghalaya.