Kerala's National Games medalists to get Govt jobs

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bonanza for athletes who won medals for the state in the just-concluded 35th National Games, Kerala Chief Minister Oomen Chandy today announced that the medallists would be given government jobs besides cash prizes.

New posts would be immediately created to accommodate the winners of gold, silver and bronze medals in the games that ended yesterday, an elated Chandy said.

Those who were already having jobs would be given an additional increment. The medalists would get cash prizes of Rs five lakh (gold), Rs three lakh (silver) and Rs two lakh (bronze) respectively, Chandy said during a press meet here along with Sports Minister Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan.

In a sterling performance at home, Kerala finished second with an overall medals tally of 162 -- 54 gold, 48 silver and 60 bronze.

Expressing satisfaction over the conduct of the fortnight long event hosted by the state, Chandy said all those who had worked for the Games from top officials to volunteers could claim credit for its success.

On future sports promotion efforts, he said a sports college would be set up at Chingavanam in Kottayam and a Sports School in Kozhikode.

The task of maintaining the stadia and other infrastructure developed for the games would be entrusted to various departments concerned, he added.