Kerala government fails to keep promise to Asian Games medallists

Thiruvananthapuram: It seems the Kerala government, which is going through a severe financial crisis, is taking the Asian Games medal winners from the state too for a ride. Nearly two months have passed since they finished on the podium at the Hangzhou Asian Games, but the 10 Keralite sportspersons are yet to receive the cash reward promised by the state government.

At a felicitation ceremony organised by the state sports department on October 19, Sports Minister V Abdurahiman had announced that the cash incentive announced by the state government would be credited to their bank accounts the very next day. However, they are yet to receive a single penny.

Recently, some of the Asian Games medal winners from the state had decided to shift base from Kerala to neighbouring states alleging "shoddy treatment" by the state government. It was then the state's sports fraternity sprung into action and announced that it would give a cash award to each of the medal winners from the state as a token of appreciation. It was decided at the meeting of the Kerala Cabinet on October 18 to give away Rs 25 lakh each to gold medallists, Rs 19 lakh each to silver medallists, and Rs 12.5 lakh each to bronze medallists.

It was expected that the cash incentives would be distributed at the felicitation ceremony organised by the state sports department in Thiruvananthapuram the next day. However, the medallists only received mementos at the function which was inaugurated by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Abdurahimanm, who also spoke on the occasion, had promised that the amount would be credited to their bank account in a week's time.

It is learned that the delay in releasing the funds is due to the acute financial crisis and the unprecedented restrictions on treasury payments.

Notably, the cash reward promised by the Kerala government was much lesser than what the athletes from states like Haryana and Tamil Nadu got.