Punjab to launch job policy for sportspersons: Sukhbir

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said that his government would launch a new job policy for sportspersons who have brought laurels to the country by winning medals at international events.
Sukhbir, who is also holding sports portfolio, was addressing a function organised by the state government to award sportspersons of the state who have won medals at the Incheon Asian Games and Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
He said that the new sports policy will be cleared by the end of this month. The policy will aim at providing jobs to players on the basis of their national and international performances besides fixing incentives for the coaches.

He said the new policy would ensure that sportspersons recruited in government services would spend initial 10 years in sports department on deputation to contribute in developing sports in the state.
"This policy will also ensure promotions to the players on the basis of their international performance," he assured.
Giving details about Punjab Institute of Sports, he said that the institute will have special directorates for 11 different sports disciplines at SAS Nagar and all recruitments will be done by March 31 next year.

He said that the institute would work on the policy of 'catch them young' to provide world class coaching, psychologists, diet, training and equipments to the budding sports talent of the state.

Sukhbir said that Punjab was spending Rs 80 to 90 crore per year to develop sports infrastructure and contemplating to increase this budget to more than Rs 100 crore from next year.
On the occasion, the state government distributed Rs 4.29 crore among 28 athletes from Punjab who won medals in Incheon Asian Games and Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
The sportspersons included Mandeep Kaur Cheema, Gurpreet Singh, Khushbir Kaur, Heena Sidhu, Amandeep Kaur, Trisha Dev, O P Jaisha. Ace shooter Abhinav Bindra was awarded with Rs 38 lakh.