Athletes to get Rs 20 lakh medical cover: Ambala Division DG Sports

Director General (DG) Sports and Commissioner, Ambala Division, Sanjeev Verma, stated that a medical cover of Rs 20 lakh would allow athletes to focus on their sport without fear.

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The Director General was speaking at the state-level yoga marathon held in Kurukshetra on Sunday.

Sanjeev Verma said, “The state government will provide a medical coverage of up to Rs 20 lakh to national-level medallists and players participating in international competitions. The policy has been prepared and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini will announce it soon. With this cover, the players will not have to face financial difficulty in any emergency situation and they will be able to focus on their game without the fear of any uncertainty.”

He said the number of sports nurseries in the state had been increased from 1,500 to 2,000. The diet allowance for players in residential academies has also been raised from Rs 400 to Rs 500 per day, effective from April 1. He added that the government would soon launch the Khelo Haryana app for the convenience of athletes.

He further stated that if any Olympic medallist wishes to open a sports academy in their home district, they will be eligible for a loan of up to Rs 5 crore at affordable rates through banks under a Haryana Government scheme. A two per cent subsidy will also be provided on the loan.

To keep the youth away from drugs, sports such as volleyball, football, basketball, handball, boxing, wrestling, judo, cricket, weightlifting and yoga have been included in the Haryana Provision of Sports Equipment Scheme 2023–24. Under this scheme, equipment for these sports will be allocated through municipal bodies and panchayats.

The Director General further stated that to expand sports infrastructure across the state, the Haryana Government had carried out GIS mapping of all government sports stadiums.