Himachal Govt awards top sportspersons
The Himachal Pradesh Government on Thursday gave cash awards to sportspersons of the state for bringing laurels to the country at the international level. The awardees included para athletes as well, including Una’s Nishad Kumar, who recently won the silver medal at the Paris Paralympics. Around Rs 14 crore were given away in cash awards to the sportspersons in a function held in Shimla.
“It feels great to be hounoured by the state government for our achievements. It will encourage us to achieve more laurels for the country,” said Nishad.
Congratulating the sportspersons on the occasion, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said his government was committed to encouraging sports and sportspersons in the state. “My government has several times enhanced the cash awards and diet money for the sportspersons to help them excel at the international level. Our government has also brought the cash awards for para athletes at par with normal sportspersons,” said Sukhu.
He further said the government was planning to build more multipurpose stadiums across the state to get more children and youth into sports. “There will be no shortage of budget for sports. Children should come into sports and win medals at the international level,” said Sukhu while addressing the gathering comprising mostly schoolchildren on the occasion.
