CHANDIGARH, May 25 — Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday presented cash awards worth ₹32.05 crore to 1,157 sportspersons, declaring a significant overhaul of the state’s athletic system. The state government conferred the prestigious Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award upon 87 athletes and honored 1,070 medal winners across multiple sporting disciplines, liquidating a decade-long backlog of pending honors spanning from 2018 to 2023.
During the ceremony, the chief minister announced a record sports budget of ₹1,763 crore for the 2026-27 fiscal year. He asserted that the administration has actively shifted its philosophy from only rewarding victories to funding early athlete preparation, noting that 220 players recently received ₹8.61 crore for tournament training.
“The players of Punjab have brought immense pride to the country and the state through their achievements on international platforms,” Mann stated. “It is our responsibility to stand firmly with them and ensure they receive the respect, recognition, and support they deserve.”
The cash distribution included major payouts to international cricket icons and shooting champions. Indian Women’s Cricket Team Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and all-rounder Amanjot Kaur received ₹1.50 crore each. In shooting, world championship medalists Amanpreet Singh and Neeraj Kumar earned ₹1.54 crore and ₹1.52 crore respectively.
Mann affirmed that elite Olympic and Asian Games medalists received ₹1 crore each, and the state provided government employment to nine distinguished players. To ensure long-term job security, the administration has created a new dedicated “Outstanding Sportsperson” cadre featuring 500 positions across various sporting disciplines.
The infrastructure push involves a ₹1,300 crore investment to construct 3,148 rural sports grounds. Mann declared that these grounds will act as developmental centers for village talent. Furthermore, the daily diet allowance for athletes at the Punjab State Institute of Sports has been raised from ₹248 to ₹480, while district center allowances increased to ₹350.
During the event, the chief minister virtually laid the foundation stone for a new Yuva Bhawan in Chandigarh, budgeted at ₹43.66 crore, which will feature a 200-bed hostel and a 400-seat auditorium. He also launched the Punjab Sports Portal, which has already directed over ₹15 crore via direct benefit transfer for training and equipment procurement.
Mann also announced that Punjab will host the Asian Champions Trophy for the first time, with a featured India-Pakistan hockey match scheduled on Punjab Day. He maintained that previous sports bodies were over-politicized, a trend his administration has altered by prioritizing ordinary players on merit.
