DHARAMSHALA: In a significant move to recognise and incentivise sporting excellence, the Himachal Pradesh government has announced a substantial increase in prize money for medal winners in various international championships, the maximum being Rs 5 crore.
Speaking in Shimla on Saturday, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu outlined the revised prize scheme, demonstrating the state government’s commitment to promoting sports and supporting athletes.
Under the new scheme, gold medalists in prestigious events such as Olympics, Winter Olympics and Paralympics will now receive Rs 5 crore, a significant raise from the previous Rs 3 crore. Similarly, silver medalists will be awarded Rs 3 crore instead of Rs 2 crore, while bronze medalists will now receive Rs 2 crore compared to the previous Rs 1 crore.
The announcement has come ahead of the summer Olympics, which are scheduled from July 26 to August 11 in Paris, with 10,500 athletes competing in 329 events. The Paralympics run from August 28 to September 8.
Chief Minister Sukhu further highlighted the remarkable increase in prize money for athletes excelling in the Asian Games and Para Asian Games. Gold medal winners in these events will now be rewarded with Rs 4 crore, up from Rs 50 lakh. Silver medalists will receive Rs 2.50 crore instead of Rs 30 lakh and bronze medalists will be awarded Rs 1.50 crore instead of Rs 20 lakh.
Moreover, athletes achieving glory in the Commonwealth Games and Para Commonwealth Games will also benefit from the revised prize scheme. Gold medal winners will now receive Rs 3 crore, silver medalists will be awarded Rs 2 crore, and bronze medalists will get Rs. 1 crore.
Chief Minister Sukhu emphasised that this enhancement in prize money reflected the state government’s commitment to promoting sports and acknowledging the hard work and dedication of athletes representing Himachal Pradesh at the international level. He further highlighted that the new sports policy aims to recognise and encourage sporting excellence, ultimately contributing to the overall development of sports in the state.
