The Sports minister Rekha Arya informed that athletes who win medals at national and international levels will be given government jobs through the "out of turn employment" scheme. She said this after the State government approved the said scheme under the Sports Policy on Friday.
Arya said that the State government has approved the scheme which aims to provide employment opportunities to exceptional players who perform well at the national and international levels and win medals. The government is committed to promoting sports and supporting athletes, and is taking various decisions in this regard, she added.
The minister further said that there is currently no provision for such employment for the athletes of the State. Meanwhile, many other States are directly employing athletes who have won medals in various competitions. As a result, talented athletes from Uttarakhand who have won medals in the past or are currently winning medals are seeking employment opportunities in other States to secure their future and are also representing those States in various competitions. Despite having talent in sports, the State is lagging behind other States. To address this issue, the State government has recently approved the said scheme under the sports policy of 2021, which was on hold for some years now, Arya added.
