Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 29 Aug: The sports & youth affairs department on Tuesday celebrated the National Sports Day by giving away cash incentives to 44 meritorious sportspersons across disciplines.
The National Sports Day is celebrated on 29 August every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand Singh.
The cash incentives were for the sportspersons who excelled in their respective disciplines in zonal, national and international competitions during 2018-’19. A total amount of Rs 31,10,000 was given away to the meritorious sportspersons.
Among the receivers of the highest cash incentives was badminton player Laa Yajum, for her stellar performance in the 12th South Asian Games held at the SAI-SAG Centre in Guwahati, Assam. Karatekas Mesom Singhi, Goda Asha and Bamang Yamu received Rs 1,80,000 each.
Sports & Youth Affairs Minister Mama Natung, who gave away the incentives and mementoes to the sportspersons, informed that the sports policy of the department is to award cash incentives to meritorious sportspersons of the state who bag gold, silver and bronze medals at zonal, national and international events.
“Chief Minister Pema Khandu-led government is a pro-sports government and has always been supportive towards sport stars,” he said.
Natung informed that, in order to boost the morale of the state’s talented sportspersons, the government has decided to give cash incentives for Olympic medal winners: Rs 5 crore for a gold medallist; Rs 3 crore for a silver medallist; and Rs 2 crore for a bronze medallist.
He said that, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the cash incentives for 2018-’19 could not be disbursed on time, and informed that “Rs 1 crore has been kept in the 2023-’24 financial year for disbursement as incentives.”
The incentives will be disbursed on next year’s National Sports Day, he added.
Natung asked the officials of the sports department to “create a hassle-free atmosphere for meritorious sportspersons in terms of getting incentives and support from the department.”
He informed that Arunachal will host the final rounds of the 77th Santosh Trophy tournament in November. The state is getting the opportunity to host the final rounds of the prestigious tournament after 82 years of its inception.
Earlier, Sports & Youth Affairs Secretary Abu Tayeng said that “the state government is giving incentives to the sportspersons to bolster them to excel better at national and international stages and to bring more laurels to the state.”
In East Siang district, the day was celebrated with this year’s theme, ‘Sports are an enabler to an inclusive and fit society’, at the Boying ground in headquarters Pasighat.
A friendly volleyball match was organised by the sports department, in collaboration with the district administration.
District Sports Officer Ajong Sitek highlighted the significance of the National Sports Day and the importance of games and sports.
In Upper Subansiri district, a friendly football match between DC XI and SP XI was played at the mini-outdoor stadium in Daporijo on Tuesday as part of the National Sports Day.
SP XI, led by DSP Gomli Loyi, defeated DC XI, led by EAC Tajum Ronya, by 2-0 goals. (With inputs from DIPROs)
