Patna: CM Samrat Choudhary on Friday handed over appointment letters to 19 sportspersons who have won medals at national and international levels, under the state govt’s ‘Medal Lao, Naukri Pao Yojana’. Indian cricket team fast bowlers Akashdeep and Mukesh Kumar were appointed as the deputy superintendents of police (DSP), while athlete Piyush Raj was appointed as a police sub-inspector. Apart from them, appointment letters were also given to other outstanding players from various disciplines, including five para-athletes.Addressing the programme organised by sports department at Urja Auditorium here, Choudhary said a new chapter had begun for the golden future of sportspersons in Bihar. “It is a matter of pride that, for the first time in Bihar, a player has been appointed to a high-ranking post such as DSP. This will boost the morale of young players and inspire them to perform better,” he said, adding the govt is committed to promoting sporting talent and providing dignified opportunities to them.Govt has been placing special emphasis on training, modern sports facilities and infrastructure development. From Sept 15, a campaign will be launched at the panchayat level to identify and search for sporting talent. Selected players will receive systematic training so that rural youth also get equal opportunities to develop their abilities.Choudhary said 5,000 playgrounds have been constructed across Bihar in the last two years to expand sports culture to every village and provide better facilities to young players. “Work is progressing rapidly on major projects aimed at building world-class sports infrastructure in the state. The redevelopment of Moinul Haq Stadium in Patna is underway, and its operation has been handed over to the Board of Control for Cricket in India. With a seating capacity of about 40,000, the stadium will have world-class facilities and will be capable of hosting national and international events,” he said, adding several historic steps have been taken to give sports a new identity in Bihar.A Sports University has been established in Nalanda, and three World Cup-level events in different sports have been successfully organised in the state, with India winning all three on Bihar’s soil. These initiatives, he said, have given Bihar’s sporting potential recognition at national and international levels. He urged players to aim not only for medals but also to help make Bihar the leading state in national games.The CM said he was hopeful that Bihar’s players would bring pride not just to the state but to the country at Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Cup and IPL.Choudhary also presented symbolic cheques of Rs 37.5 lakh to Setu Mishra, Rs 2 lakh to Vibhaskar Kumar and Rs 9 lakh to chess player Mariyam Fatima for their achievements, under ‘Khel Samman Yojana’.Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, sports minister Shreyasi Singh, department secretary Deepak Anand and Bihar State Sports Authority director General Ravindran Shankaran also attended the function.
