Ranchi: Successful Jharkhand athletes will soon get reservations in jobs and seats in educational institutes, monthly stipends and plots of land at token rates for residential, agricultural and training purposes, according to the draft of the new sports policy.
The draft policy, which will replace a 13-year-old document if passed in the state cabinet, was presented to chief minister Hemant Soren on Friday. The policy talks of setting up playgrounds at panchayat levels and residential training and Khelo India centres at district levels to create sporting infrastructure in rural areas.
Speaking to TOI on Sunday, sports director Anil Kumar Singh said, “The CM and the high-powered committee suggested some minor changes. We are hoping to move the cabinet soon after approval from the (sports) department and finance departments.”
The policy also promises direct appointment of state-level athletes in grade two, three and four posts of various government departments. Besides forming a sportspersons’ development fund, the document also envisages health insurance for athletes in training centres and salary increment (state government employees) if they win laurels at national and international tournaments.
Based on past performances, athletics, hockey, football, archery, badminton, wrestling, cycling and kabbadi have been categorised as games with high potential.
Emphasising on long-term talent development keeping the 2032 Olympics in mind, the document aims to build sporting infrastructure in association with corporate houses and public sector units and increasing the annual budgetary allocation for the development and promotion of sports.
Besides infrastructure push, the policy aims to harness young talent at school levels by rolling out a talent hunt programme for children between nine and 14 years. Based on seniority, the athletes will be provided monthly stipends of Rs 6,000, Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000. In educational institutes, 5% of the seats will be reserved for sportspersons while 2% of all government jobs will be set aside for athletes.
The document also envisages the establishment of a sports varsity, promoting sports sciences (such as sports biomechanics, massage, medicine, anthropometry, biochemistry) and hand-holding for local entrepreneurs manufacturing sports goods.