Jharkhand, MP, Uttarakhand announce cash rewards for National Games medallists

Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand joined Odisha as they announced prize money for the medal winners at the recently concluded National Games in Uttarakhand.

Jharkhand announced Rs 1.65 crore for their 25 medallists.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren made the announcement while congratulating the medallists, who won 7 gold, 6 silver and 12 bronze. 

Following his directive, Jharkhand’s sports director Sandeep Kumar approved the allocation of the amount.

It is expected that the medallists will be awarded the prize money during a felicitation ceremony this month.

Of the 25 medals, Jharkhand won the highest number of medals in lawn ball - five gold, two silver and two bronze medals in lawn ball. In archery, the state won six medals in archery, including a gold medal by Deepika Kumari.

Apart from this, Jharkhand won one silver, three bronze medals in modern pentathlon, one silver, two bronze medals in wushu, two bronze medals in swimming and one bronze medal in hockey.

Earlier, Odisha announced Rs 6 lakh each for the gold medallists, while silver and bronze medallists will be awarded Rs 4 lakh and Rs 3 lakh, respectively.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh and host Uttarakhand also announced cash rewards for their medallists.

Madhya Pradesh announced Rs 5 lakh for gold medallists, Rs 3.2 lakh for silver medallists and Rs 2.4 lakh for bronze medallists. The state won 82 medals, including 34 gold, 26 silver and 22 bronze medals. 

Uttarakhand, on the other hand, announced Rs 12 lakh for gold medallists, Rs 8 lakh for silver medallists and Rs 6 lakh for bronze medallists. The state won 103 medals - 24 gold, 35 silver and 44 bronze. 

Meghalaya assures jobs, scholarships 

Meanwhile, the Meghalaya government assured jobs, cash rewards and scholarships to the National Games medallists.

"Cash awards, scholarships, and additional rewards shall be given in accordance with sports policy guidelines. As announced by the chief minister, the state shall also release mechanisms based on the sports policy of the state to offer government jobs to successful athletes from the Games," the state's sports department said in a statement.

Haryana government, on the other hand, runs a scheme to reward the national-level medallists.

Under the state's Cash Award for Encouragement of Sportspersons Scheme, the gold medallists get Rs 25,000, silver medallists Rs 15,000 and bronze medallists Rs 10,000. Haryana won 153 medals, including 48 gold, 47 silver and 58 bronze.