Punjab and Haryana have always had a sibling rivalry to outdo each other. In the latest episode of the same which has a rather pleasing result, the beneficiaries are the Indian Olympians who have returned from Tokyo.
Punjab’s hand has been literally forced to now match the prize money that had been already offered by the Haryana government to their respective sportspersons. This has addressed a piquant situation whereby hockey players from the Men’s and Women’s Hockey teams stood to get different benefits, depending on whether they belonged to Punjab or Haryana. Both states are laying claim to Tokyo gold medalist Neeraj Chopra too!
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Sample this: Haryana government, on August 5, as per its laid out sports policy, announced Rs 2.5 crore each for the two players from Haryana in the Men’s hockey team which won the Bronze medal. A job was also offered. The same day, Punjab government announced only Rs 1 crore for the ten players from Punjab from the same Hockey team, including Captain Manpreet Singh.
Haryana also made a departure from its sports policy on August 6 to announce Rs 50 lakh for the nine players from Haryana in the women’s hockey team that ended at the fourth place in the Olympics. So far, no such cash reward existed for non-medal winners in Haryana except Rs 15 lakh given to every participant. Each women hockey player from Haryana, including Captain Rani Rampal, would hence get Rs 65 lakh. But no such announcement came from Punjab for its two women hockey players, including striker Gurjeet Kaur.
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Sources told News18 that Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh since intervened that led to Punjab government’s announcement on Wednesday that the 10 Men hockey players from Punjab would now get Rs 2.51 Cr each instead of Rs 1 Cr and the two women hockey players from the state will get Rs 50 lakh each. This will match the prize being given by Haryana government.
Neeraj Chopra — from Punjab or Haryana?
Punjab and Haryana are both laying their claim on Javelin gold medal winner Neeraj Chopra. While the Haryana government announced Rs 6 Cr and a job for the athlete as per its state policy since Chopra belongs to Panipat in Haryana, the Punjab CM on August 7 said his government will also give Rs 2 Cr to Chopra as a “special reward” since the family of Chopra “traces its roots to Punjab” and he had practiced most of the time at NIS Patiala. Punjab government also pointed out that Chopra had studied at DAV College, Chandigarh.
In fact, the reward from Punjab for Chopra has also been enhanced now to Rs 2.51 Cr. Punjab, in a special move, has also now announced Rs 50 lakh for discus thrower from Punjab Kamalpreet Kaur who ended in sixth place and the same for Indian men’s team reserve goalkeeper Krishna Pathak. Six other players from Punjab who could not win medals but performed well have been promised Rs 21 lakh each.
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Both states have also planned grand felicitation ceremonies for their players. While Punjab CM will felicitate his state’s players on Thursday in Chandigarh, Haryana CM Manohar Lal will be felicitating players from Haryana at a grand ceremony on Friday at a stadium in Panchkula. Haryana may further enhance the reward for its nine women hockey players too who during a meeting with state Home Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday requested for the cash prize of Rs 50 lakh to be enhanced and plots be given at concessional rates.
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