Punjab to rank sportspersons

CHANDIGARH - Punjab will introduce ranking of players to honour top 100 players in each game using an internationally accepted procedure, officials said Saturday.

The decision was taken at a meeting of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal with veteran players of the country to get their feedback on the draft sports policy of the state.

Badal said the ranking would give an identity to the players and also motivate them to strive hard to improve.

He added this will also help in identifying a larger pool of promising players who could be nurtured for the national and international sports events.

Badal proposed that cash incentives for Olympic gold medal winner be raised from Rs.1 crore to Rs. 2.25 crore, Olympic silver medal winner from Rs.50 lakh to Rs. 1.01 crore, and bronze medal winner from Rs.25 lakh to Rs.50 lakh.

He added that coaches of medal winners should also get 10 percent cash incentive of these rewards.

Badal said that nine different boards and corporations of the Punjab government would raise one state team of one game.

He said that recently Punjab Mandi Board had adopted Indian Kabaddi team by providing employment to them.