Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 23 Jun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami marked International Olympic Day by felicitating medal winning athletes at a grand event held at the Parade Ground, here, today. On this occasion, the CM also administered the oath of sportsmanship and underscored the day’s significance in promoting values of unity, peace, and dedication.
Addressing the gathering, Dhami said the Olympics symbolise not just competition but also perseverance and national pride. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for India’s growing stature in global sports, citing the country’s record haul of 107 medals at the 2023 Asian Games and the qualification of 126 athletes for the 2020 Olympics.
Reiterating his government’s commitment to transforming Uttarakhand into a “Khelbhoomi” (Sports Land), the CM proudly noted that the state’s athletes secured 103 medals at the recently concluded 38th National Games. He reminded that that 23 sports academies are being developed across eight major cities, along with a sports university in Haldwani and a women’s sports college in Lohaghat.
Dhami further asserted that under the state’s progressive sports policy, medal winning athletes are being offered out of turn government jobs, sports allowances, and prestigious awards such as the Uttarakhand Khel Ratna and Himalaya Khel Ratna. He added that a 4 per cent sports quota has also been implemented in government services. Additionally, incentive amounts are being directly transferred to 3,900 athletes under the Mukhyamantri Udiyaman Khiladi Unnayan Yojana and to 2,155 athletes under the Mukhyamantri Protsahan Yojana via Direct Benefit Transfer.
On this occasion, Sports Minister Rekha Arya shared details regarding ‘rapid development’ of sports infrastructure under the new policy and praised the state’s successful hosting of the 38th National Games. She emphasised that the policy prioritises athlete welfare and aims to create a robust sporting ecosystem.
Among those present on this occasion included Special Principal Secretary (Sports) Amit Sinha, Additional Director (Sports) Ajay Agrawal, and senior officials from the Sports Department.
