Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju Announces Lifelong Monthly Pension For International Medal Winning Athletes

The Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju on Monday (10 February) announced a lifelong monthly pension for all medal winners in international events under a ‘Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons’ scheme, reports Asian news International (ANI).

Reaching out to the athletes across the nation through social media platform Twitter, Rijiju shared that the 'Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons' scheme would cover all medal winners in international events.

As per an official statement floated by the Ministry in this regard, the scheme includes medal winners from international events like Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian games, World Cups/World Championships in disciplines identified under Olympic Games or Asian Games, and Paralympic games.

Such sportspersons would become eligible for the pension from the day they turn 30-years-old or from the day when they retire from the active sports, whichever comes later.

As many as 627 sports persons are already benefiting under the scheme and are receiving a monthly pension of Rs 12,000 to Rs 20,000.

The Ministry is also implementing the ‘Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons’ (PDUNWFS), which caters to sportspersons of yesteryears now living in indigent conditions and for medical treatment of sportspersons, said the statement.

Reaching out to the a across the nation through social media platform Twitter, Rijiju shared that the 'Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons' scheme would cover all medal winners in international events.