Saini rolls out scholarship portal for sportspersons, reviews infra push

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday launched a new digital portal for managing scholarships and cash awards for sportspersons, aiming to streamline and ensure transparency in benefit disbursement. The portal will enable athletes to conveniently apply for financial rewards provided by the Sports Department.

“The state government is committed to providing better facilities to sportspersons,” said CM Saini, while chairing a review meeting of the Sports Department late Monday evening. He emphasised the need for special plans to ensure high-quality infrastructure in sports stadiums and nurseries and proposed creating centres of excellence focused on elite sports. He also called for issuing unique IDs to athletes for better tracking and support. Minister of State for Sports Gaurav Gautam also attended the meeting.

Officials informed the CM that since 2014, 16,305 athletes have received a total of Rs 599.43 crore under the state’s cash reward scheme.

Reviewing infrastructure, it was revealed that Haryana currently has 3 state-level, 21 district-level, and 25 sub-division level stadiums, 163 Rajiv Gandhi Sports Complexes, and 245 mini rural stadiums. The state also has around 1,500 sports nurseries, with a target to increase the number to 2,000 by 2025–26.

A major highlight of the meeting was a proposal to develop an international-level sports complex on 100 acres in Palwal. The project includes a cricket stadium, multipurpose hall, badminton and boxing arenas, athletics field, rehab centre, hotel and restaurant, and seating for 35,000–50,000 spectators.

“The officers have been directed to explore all viable options for the development of this complex,” said the Chief Minister.

Haryana Tribune