Raj Singh, Chef de Mission of the Indian contingent at Commonwealth Games, on Wednesday said the country’s athletes will be paid their full allowance of $50 per day after the funds are released by the sports ministry. Singh’s comments comes after many athletes in the 215-strong contingent claimed they have not been paid their full dues a week into the Games.
Earlier on Wednesday, sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal in Delhi assured the athletes will get their enhanced daily allowance at the earliest. The allowance earlier was $25 per day. ‘Once the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports released the payment of DA (including enhanced one), the enhanced DA will be transferred directly into their bank account in India. We have received the bank details of the athletes and officials participating in the Games,’ said Singh.
The table tennis team was paid half of their daily entitlement only on Monday. ‘Indian Olymnpic Association has made the payment of DA to the athletes/officials of the Indian contingent for CWG 2014 as first instalment (upto 10 days) so far except the squash team as manager of squash team said that they will collect the full DA on 30 July 2014,’ claimed Singh. He further said: ‘The teams who have already left for India has been paid full amount of their DA at $25/per day per person ie shooting, judo, some part of swimming and cycling.
‘The procedure for payment in instalment is because if any athletes/officials intend to go early then recovery will be difficult if full payment is made and also the encashment of travellers cheque can not be in cash in once because the limitation of encashment. The financial sanction and the money towards the DA is yet to be received from the ministry but IOA has arranged the payment from its own sources,’ he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal in Delhi assured the athletes will get their enhanced daily allowance at the earliest. The allowance earlier was $25 per day. ‘Once the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports released the payment of DA (including enhanced one), the enhanced DA will be transferred directly into their bank account in India. We have received the bank details of the athletes and officials participating in the Games,’ said Singh.
The table tennis team was paid half of their daily entitlement only on Monday. ‘Indian Olymnpic Association has made the payment of DA to the athletes/officials of the Indian contingent for CWG 2014 as first instalment (upto 10 days) so far except the squash team as manager of squash team said that they will collect the full DA on 30 July 2014,’ claimed Singh. He further said: ‘The teams who have already left for India has been paid full amount of their DA at $25/per day per person ie shooting, judo, some part of swimming and cycling.
‘The procedure for payment in instalment is because if any athletes/officials intend to go early then recovery will be difficult if full payment is made and also the encashment of travellers cheque can not be in cash in once because the limitation of encashment. The financial sanction and the money towards the DA is yet to be received from the ministry but IOA has arranged the payment from its own sources,’ he said.