Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy Sukhbir Singh Badal gave cash prizes worth Rs 7.58 crore to over 50 athletes.
Seventeen Commonwealth Games medallists got Rs 2.58 crore while as many Asian Games medallists were awarded Rs 3 crore.
Ronjan Sodhi, who won gold and a bronze at the Asian Games and two silver medals at the Delhi Commonwealth Games, took home a cash award of Rs. 95 lakh, while other shooters Manavjit Sandhu was richer by Rs 58.66 lakh, Abhinav Bindra by Rs 43 lakh and Heena Sidhu took home Rs 48.33 lakh.
As per the state's sports policy, any player winning anindividual or team gold in Olympics will be awarded Rs 2.25 crore. The silver and bronze medallists would take home Rs1.01 crore and Rs 51 lakh, respectively.
The gold, silver and bronze winners at Asian Gamesbe awarded Rs 26 lakh, 16 lakh and 11 lakh and CommonwealthGames medallists would win Rs 16 lakh, Rs 11 lakh and Rs 6lakh respectively.
Speaking on the occasion, Badal said the government wasfully alive to its responsibility to nurture, facilitate and encourage sportspersons who bring laurels and glory to thestate and the country by winning medals at national and international levels.
He said that the presentation of cash incentives to eminent sportspersons was an expression of appreciation and gratitude of the state to them. indianshooting.com
