Chhattisgarh athletes winning Olympics gold to get Rs 3 crore from state: CM Sai

Raipur, Aug 29 (PTI) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai announced on Thursday a cash prize of Rs 3 crore for athletes who will win gold medals at the Olympics and said the state is committed to supporting sporting talents.

Those clinching silver in Olypmics will be given Rs 2 crore, while bronze medalists will get Rs 1 crore, he said during the State Sports Awards ceremony on National Sports Day here at the Pt Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium.

On the occasion, the chief minister felicitated 502 sportspersons with a collective prize money of Rs 1.36 crore, officials said.

The Chhattisgarh government will give Rs 3 crore to those athletes from the state who will win gold medals in the Olympic games and Rs 2 crore and Rs 1 crore to silver and bronze winners, respectively, Sai said.

“In the last five years, the State Sports Awards ceremony was not being held in the state. Our government realised the pain of athletes and decided to re-organise the event,” he said.

This year the ceremony was organised twice. Earlier, it was held in March, he said.

“Today, on the occasion of National Sports Day, we felicitated athletes for the years 2021-22 and 2022-23, including the winners of national championships. In total, prize money of Rs 1.36 crore was given to the athletes today," he added.

The CM of the BJP-ruled state said his government is committed to taking forward sports talents.

Citing the success of javelin star Neeraj Chopra and ace shooters Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh in the Paris Olympics, Said said his government is also committed to taking forward the sports talents in Chhattisgarh.

“In the coming days, sports talents will be nurtured through good infrastructure and training so that they can perform even better at the national and international level and bring glory to the state,” he added.

Integrated Sports Complexes are being built in Jashpur and Raigarh at Rs 105 crore and a multipurpose indoor stadium and a synthetic football turf with a running track are being built at Rs 62 crore in Nava Raipur.

For the first time after the formation of the state (in 2000), a residential hockey academy will be started in Raipur this month. A residential football academy for girls will commence next month, he said.

Besides, an athletic academy, a kabaddi academy and an archery academy are also being run in the state.

Union Minister of State Tokhan Sahu, Chhattisgarh Assembly Speaker Raman Singh and state ministers were present at the event, officials said. PTI TKP NR