State-level Khel Mahakumbh medalists to get 4% job reservation in state

Dehradun: Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced that medal-winning athletes from the Khel Mahakumbh will now receive a 4% reservation benefit in direct recruitment posts, aligning with benefits extended to other players. Additionally, district-level participants will be provided with sports kits to encourage grassroots participation.A series of initiatives to support athletes during the inauguration of the state-level Khel Mahakumbh competitions at the Directorate of Youth Welfare were unveiled on Sunday.Dhami launched the Chief Minister's Sports Development Fund, aimed at increasing cash rewards for athletes. As part of the Emerging Player Promotion Scheme, young athletes will be eligible for monthly scholarships of Rs 1,500 for ages 8-13 and Rs 2,000 for ages 14-23, along with Rs 10,000 annually for sports equipment.The CM also honoured prominent athletes at the ceremony. Amisha Chauhan, a skier at the Deaf Olympics, received Rs 50 lakh, while Sonia, a gold medallist at the 27th National Federation in athletics, was awarded Rs 2 lakh. Rahul Sarnalia, who won gold at the 22nd National Federation Junior, was given Rs 1 lakh.Highlighting the significance of the Khel Mahakumbh, CM Dhami described it as a vital platform for nurturing talent from village to state level. He said that last year's event saw participation from over 3.2 lakh athletes and expressed confidence that this year's numbers would surpass that record. Over Rs 11 crore in prize money will be distributed through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).The CM added that in the state budget, Rs 1,700 crore was allocated for youth welfare, sports, and higher education, with plans to build new sports infrastructure, including playgrounds, stadiums, gyms, and tracks.