BHIWANI, Aug 30 :Haryana Chief Minister . Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said that he aimed at making Haryana a ‘Super Power’ in sports and he announced a number of incentives for sportspersons and urgedthem to take a pledge today to win a minimum of 10 gold medals in the London Olympics to be held in 2012.
The Chief Minister, who was speaking at a state level function organised to honour the Olympians at Bhim Stadium here, also announced to give a monthly pension of Rs 5000 to the reciepients of Arjuna Award and Dronacharya Award. He also announced that a cash reward of Rs 11 lakh would be given to all those Haryana players who would qualify for Olympics in future.
He said that sports academies would be set up in the State to groom the promising players. He said that the boxing academy of international standard to be set up at Bhiwani, which has emerged as Cuba of India, would be named after Capt. Hawa Singh in recognition of his service to the promotion of boxing in Bhiwani.
Mr. Hooda said that a cricket academy would be set up at Jhajjar by Indian crickter Virender Sehwag in public-private partnership mode, a footbal academy of international standard would also come up at Gurgaon with the help of ONGC and added that Member Parliament Mr. Naveen Jindal who is also an international shooter would set up a sports institute in the State at a cost of Rs 100 crore.
While giving away a cash reward of Rs 50 lakh to boxer Vijender Kumar for winning Bronze medal in Beijing Olympics, Mr. Hooda offered him to choose between the posts of Deputy Director, Sports Department and Deputy Superintendent of Police for his appointment. He also announced to give him a residential plot.
He also gave away a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh to Sushil Kumar for winning a Bronze in Wrestling in Beijing Olympics, Mr. Hooda offered him the post of a Deputy Superintendent of Police. He also gave a reward of Rs 11 lakh each to Olympic qualifier for Disc Thrower Krishna Punia, Shooter Sanjiv Rajpoot and Boxer Dinesh.
Mr. Hooda also gave away a cash reward of Rs 25 lakh each to boxer Akhil Kumar and Jitender, wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and badminton player Saina Nehwal for reaching the quarter final in the Beijing Olympics. The cash award of Rs 25 lakh was given away to Olympic gold medalist for shooting Mr. Abhinav Bindra which was received by his representative.
The Chief Minister also presented a cash reward of Rs 25 lakh to the trainer of Boxers at Sai Hostel in Bhiwani, Mr. Jagdish Singh.
Momentoes were presented to cricketer Virender Sehwag, captain of Indian women hockey team, Mamta Kharab and medal winner in wrestling at Doha Asian Games Ms. Geetika Jakhar.
Mr. Hooda said that a maximum of nine players of Haryana had participated in Beijing Olympics and they all made excellent performance. He called upon the sports associations to keep sports away from politics and safeguard the interests of players.
The Chief Minister said that 161 sports stadia were being constructed in the rural areas of the State to channelise the energies of the youth and added that more stadia would be constructed to groom sports persons of rural areas in view of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. He said that during last three-and-a-half years, the State Government has given cash awards of more than Rs 10.80 crore. He said that outstanding sportspersons have been posted as Deputy Superintendent of Police and three per cent posts have been reserved for sportspersons.
As per the sports policy of the State Government, those who would win gold medal in Olympics, would get Rs two crore, the silver medal winner would get Rs one crore and a cash reward of Rs 50 lakh would be presented to the bronze winner.
Earlier, Haryana Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs, Mrs.Kiran Choudhry appreciated the performance of players in Beijing Olympics saying that they had brought laurels to the country. She urged the Chief Minister that the native villages of Olympians should
be declared as model villages. She also urged that SAI Hostel should be renovated and equipped with facilities of international standard. Others who also spoke on the occasion included Member Parliament Naveen Jindal, local MLA . Shiv Shankar Bhardwaj, Director General of Police, Ranjiv Dalal and Commissioner and Secretary, Sarban Singh.
Those present on the occasion included Princpal Secretary to Chief Minister, M.L. Tayal, Working Presidnet of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, Kuldeep Sharma, MP, Deepender Singh Hooda,
Minister of State for Cooperation, Meena Mandal, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Dharmbir, Parliamentary Secretary, Rao Dan Singh, MLAs namely Ranbir Mohindra, Prof. Chattarpal, Sombir Singh, Mr. Ram Kishan Fauzi, Anand Singh Dangi, Sukhbir Singh Jaunpuria, Mr. Sher Singh, Political Advisor to Chief
Minister, Prof. Virender and Media Advisor to Chief Minister, Sunderpal.