CM announces job opportunities for distinguished sportspersons

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Thursday, announced employment provisions for the sportspersons who received awards and felicitation under the ‘Khelashree’ scheme while launching a monthly honorarium scheme for 1567 former sportspersons in the state who excelled in various sporting events.

“If any of today’s award recipients are seeking jobs they may hand over their resume to Aroop Biswas (state Sports minister). We are coming up with a special system through a new legislation for offering jobs to such sportspersons. I have already asked the chief secretary to start the paperwork for the same,” Banerjee said at Dhana Dhanya Auditorium while addressing the felicitation and award-giving ceremony of 322 sportspersons who won medals at various sporting events such as Asian Games, National Games, National Para Championship.

Banerjee said that sportspersons already have the gift of fitness to get qualified for jobs in the police force. She instructed Biswas to create a dedicated desk in his department so that sportspersons willing for jobs could drop an application without any hassle.

She further said that the honorarium of Rs 1000 each for 1567 former sports persons is effective from September 2023. Hence, they will receive four months’ honorarium at one go today (January 25, 2024) itself.

The Chief Minister said that her government gave police jobs to many sports persons. The state organizes tournaments mainly to find talents from the Junglemahal districts and offers jobs to the winners and runners of such events. “About 4300 sports persons have been given state jobs already,” she added. Eight officers from the Bengal Police were also handed over Sourya Padak (gallantry awards) by Banerjee for their courage and dedication in discharge of duties. “We have always encouraged sports activities in the state and have developed infrastructure for it. Twenty-one mountaineers from our state have scaled Mt. Everest in the last 12 years. This number was only four from independence till 2011,” Banerjee added.

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee’s district schedule kicks off on January 28. She will leave Kolkata and reach Hasimara on January 28.

She will travel to Cooch Behar the following day where she will be attending a distribution programme.

She will be returning to Uttarkanya where she will hold another distribution programme concerning Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar. The next day she will be going to Raiganj and then to Balurghat.

She will follow it up with a program at Malda. Banerjee will then travel to Murshidabad and Krishnanagar in Nadia district for separate programmes.

“My district programme will continue till February 1 -2. The district magistrate and the police are working on the schedule,” she added.

She said since the Madhyamik examination will be commencing on February 2, the norms in connection with noise will be strictly adhered to and some programmes will be held indoors.