Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee government is planning to introduce a pension for retired persons who have excelled in sports but are now suffering from financial constraints.
"I will urge the Sports & Youth Affairs department to give a serious thought for introduction of some sort of pension facilities for the retired sportspersons who are badly in need of such financial assistance. We have similar facilities from the state Information & Cultural Affairs department for artistes. I feel that the Sports department should also come up with such benefits," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said at a felicitation programme for successful sportspersons from the state at Netaji Indoor Stadium on Monday.
"There are some people who say Khelo India and tweet congratulating a sportsperson or a team after a win and then simply turn a blind eye to whether he/she is facing any sort of difficulty. But we are not like that. We do not do publicity. Whatever we do we do it from the core of our hearts," Banerjee reiterated.
It may be mentioned that the state government has been extending help even in terms of medical treatment to a number of sportspersons who have been felicitated by the state government from time to time.
Banerjee announced that 221 coaching centres across the state will be given Rs 1 lakh each to boost their infrastructural facilities and churn out more and more sportspersons who will be making the state as well as the country proud. "This year we will be providing Rs 2 lakh each to 4,300 clubs in the state to provide encouragement to sports activities," Banerjee maintained.
The Sports department has already provided financial assistance to 24,000 clubs across the state. A total package of Rs 5 lakh has been given to these clubs, with the first instalment being Rs 2 crore.
"Before we came to power in 2011, the budget of the Sports & Youth Affairs department was only Rs 73 crore. We have raised this allocation seven times to Rs 515 crore," Banerjee added.
The Chief Minister also raised her concern over inhibitions of corporate in sponsoring clubs or holding sports events in fear of probe agencies.
"There was a time when corporates sponsored sporting activities. But at present they hardly do so in fear of probe agencies. They (Centre) are setting agencies in pursuit of the clubs," she said.