Up to Rs 3 lakh announced; cash incentives for coaches too
PANAJI
With Goa’s medal tally at the ongoing 37th National Games already climbing to an all-time high of 36 – 2 gold, 8 silver and 26 bronze – there’s a cash bonanza waiting for the athletes who made it possible.
Sports Minister Govind Gaude on Thursday announced that all these medal winners will be awarded cash prizes by the State government.
Those who have bagged gold medals will get Rs 3 lakh and the silver medallists will get Rs 2 lakh. The bronze medal winners will be entitled to Rs 1 lakh, Gaude said.
Additionally, there will be cash incentives paid to the coaches as well.
Gaude said, coaches will be awarded Rs 30,000 if the athletes they have trained won gold and Rs 20,000 to the coaches training silver medallists.
Coaches of bronze medal winners will get Rs 10,000, he added.
Interestingly, in the past too the State government has rewarded athletes who earned the State laurels although in many cases, including the 2014 Lusofonia Games, the rewards were paid after much delay.
Sports ministry officials said, that Gaude’s announcement on Thursday is covered under the existing scheme for awarding athletes who have podium finishes at the national level.
Meanwhile on Thursday, Sanjana Prabhugoankar bagged the silver medal in 100m backstroke and Janiva Fernandes the bronze medal in Wushu taking Goa’s overall medals tally to 36.
