J&K CM Omar Abdullah presents Rs 2.71 crore cash awards to 580 sportspersons
CM said efforts would be made to ensure that sportspersons do not face undue financial pressure for coaching, training, equipment and travel
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday presented cash awards amounting to Rs 2.71 crore to 580 outstanding sportspersons and international athletes from the Union Territory at a special ceremony held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) here.
The awards pertain to the years 2023-24 and 2024-25. The Chief Minister personally handed over awards to 22 sportspersons, while those for the remaining beneficiaries were disbursed through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into their bank accounts.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister congratulated the awardees and said the cash awards marked the beginning of the government’s efforts to provide greater support and encouragement to sporting talent in Jammu and Kashmir.
Acknowledging the contribution of parents and families in supporting young athletes, Omar said efforts would be made to ensure that sportspersons do not face undue financial pressure for coaching, training, equipment and travel.
“We should also increase this gradually, so that our athletes do not have to worry about investing in coaching, training, equipment, travel, etc. We should not put too much pressure on your families and parents,” he said.
The Chief Minister said Jammu and Kashmir’s altitude was an inherent advantage that could be leveraged to establish high-quality training centres for athletes.
“We have to capitalise on this. We have to use this by establishing high-quality training centres. And we have to pay attention to different sports,” he said.
Calling for greater attention to both established and emerging sporting disciplines, Omar referred to the recent achievements of J&K sportspersons in cricket and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), stressing the need for a balanced approach to promoting different sports.
Linking sports with the wider effort to keep young people away from drugs, the Chief Minister said sustained investment in sports infrastructure and greater engagement with youth were essential to making the anti-drug campaign effective.
“Staying away from drugs is not just a slogan for one day a year. Twelve months of that year, seven days a week, and that will only happen when we can give infrastructure to sports and get the attention of the kids,” he said.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister felicitated J&K MMA fighter Owais Yaqoob for his victory at BRAVE CF 107 in Bulgaria, where he defeated an unbeaten two-time IMMAF World Champion.
He also launched an anti-drug and anti-doping campaign by handing over a campaign torch to a sports icon from Jammu and Kashmir. The torch will travel through schools and different areas of Srinagar as part of the awareness campaign.
