Madhya Pradesh pays out Rs.1 crore, offers to support hockey teams

BHOPAL - Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Sunday said it was a “national shame” that the both the Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams had to protest for their money, and offered to provide all necessary facilities to the teams.

Meeting players of national women’s hockey team at his residence here, Chouhan said he met union Sports Minister M.S. Gill in Delhi Friday and presented him a cheque of Rs.one crore for the payment and allowances of women hockey players.

He said that if payments were not made to women hockey players even after this, the state government will give cheques of Rs.one lakh each to all the players who are getting coaching at Bhopal camp.

“Hockey has been pride of the nation. At a time when we could not win medals in any other game, it was hockey which had brought gold medals from Olympics and international competitions,” the chief minister said.

Chouhan exhorted the women hockey players to forget everything and concentrate on their game, advising them to “move ahead and win”. He said the state government will not only extend facilities of training and sports to the players but will also solve their domestic problems.

Assuring the women hockey players he was with them, he also sported a black band on his arm.

The players presented a hockey stick signed by them to him.

Indian women’s hockey team captain Surinder Kaur, former captain Mamta Kharab and senior player Deepika Murthy were among the players who met Chouhan and the meeting was an initiative of the State Hockey Academy coach and former Olympian Ashok Dhyanchand.