The Hindu       15.10.2014  

GHMC to the rescue of ailing sportspersons

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation is contemplating
a ‘pension scheme’ for outstanding sportspersons from the Telangana
State who represented India in Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth
Games but now ailing and in bad shape financially.

Thanks
to the initiative of GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar, a meeting of the
select sports fraternity was convened on Tuesday in this regard which
was attended by members from the APOA, S. R. Prem Raj, Director of
Sports, GHMC, and Olympian N. Mukesh Kumar and former India football
captain Victor Amalraj. It was proposed to give Rs 10,000 each to the
deserving athletes.

“I got this idea of giving
pension when I met an old sports personality at a function few weeks ago
who represented India and is struggling for livelihood. Therefore, I
sincerely believe the GHMC can come forward to provide some lifeline to
these great sportspersons who played for the country when big money was
not there,” Mr. Somesh Kumar informed the gathering.

The
entire amount for the year will be handed over in one go to the
probable beneficiaries. In response to Mukesh’s intervention, the GHMC
top official intervened to clarify that the pension scheme is not only
for Olympians but can be applicable to the internationals who are in
dire straits also.

“There can be graded system of
payment of monthly pension in the case of internationals like Rs. 5,000,
Rs.7,000 also depending on the eligibility norms,” Mr. Somesh Kumar
told the gathering. And, the GHMC is not confining itself to giving
these monetary benefits but also likely to rope in ex-internationals to
ensure optimum use of the existing playgrounds.

“I am
looking at year-long training at most of these venues in select
disciplines depending on the chances of producing outstanding players,”
the top official pointed out.

“We are optimistic of
roping in some of the corporates to adopt some of the big GHMC
playgrounds to lure local talent in different disciplines,” it was
informed.

Mukesh suggested that the pension scheme
being mooted should be a permanent feature and not disbanded with a
change of order in the GHMC or the State Government. “Let this be a
model initiative to everyone,” he said.

The next meeting on October 17 should see a clear-cut policy and framing of guidelines for this scheme.

Mulls pension scheme for players who represented the country at Olympics, Asian and Commonwealth Games