Daijiworld Media Network - Ranchi
Ranchi, Feb 6: In a major boost to sports in Jharkhand, the state Cabinet on Thursday approved a proposal to provide a monthly pension to sportspersons, with amounts ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting where 26 proposals were cleared, while two others were deferred for further discussion.
Under the revised policy, athletes from Jharkhand who have won medals in recognised national and international competitions will be eligible for the pension. The scheme has been restructured into 10 categories.
Sportspersons who have received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and those who have won medals at the Olympic Games will be entitled to a monthly pension of Rs 20,000.
Athletes who have secured medals in events such as the World Cup, Asian Games, SAF Games and National Games will receive pensions ranging between Rs 5,000 and Rs 16,000 per month. Medal winners at the National Games will receive the minimum pension amount of Rs 5,000.
Earlier, in July 2021, Chief Minister Hemant Soren had announced a cash incentive of Rs 2 crore for Jharkhand players winning gold medals for India at the Olympics. He had also declared rewards of Rs 1 crore for silver medal winners and Rs 75 lakh for bronze medalists during a virtual interaction with Olympians.
In January 2025, the Chief Minister had handed over allotment papers for 3,750 square feet plots at Harmu Residential Colony in Ranchi to Olympian hockey players Salima Tete and Nikki Pradhan. The two players were honoured for their outstanding contribution to Indian hockey and for bringing laurels to the state and the country.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet also discussed a proposal related to age relaxation for the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Civil Services Examination. While the commission has fixed August 2026 as the cut-off date for determining age limits, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms had proposed August 2023.
However, amid ongoing protests by aspirants demanding August 2018 as the cut-off date, the Cabinet decided to postpone the proposal. The matter will be taken up again in the next Cabinet meeting.