01 September,2009 04:02 PM IST | | PTI
The Sports Ministry on Tuesday approved a Rs 110 crore grant for Kerala which will host the 35th National Games next year and approved Rs 1.5 lakh each for the widows of the Indian football heroes, who had reached semi-final of the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
Of the nine members of the 1956 team who have passed away, the Ministry could trace the widows of T A Rahman, Peter Thangaraj, K S Kittu and M K Kempiah.
"They will receive assistance of Rs 1.50 lakh each from National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons," the Ministry said in a release.
The fund provides for giving assistance to sportspersons of yesteryears and their families, who brought glory for the country but are now living in distress.
Nine surviving members of the team - Samar Banerjee, S S Narayan, A S Salam, A Hussain, N K Nandi, P K Banerjee, M Z Zulfikar, Tulsidas Balaram and Keshto Pal have already been given assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh each in February.
Also announcing the grant for next year's National Games in Kerala, the Ministry said the money would be utilised to upgrade existing sports infrastructure, lay and develop playing surfaces and procure sports equipments besides conducting the opening and closing ceremonies.
Scheduled in May, next year's National Games would be the last major domestic event before the 2010 Commonwealth Games and would double up as selection trial for the 71-nation event, the Ministry said.
Government of Kerala has initially requested for the central assistance, at least 50 per cent of the total projected requirement of about Rs 600 crore.
In May this year, a central team visited Kerala to evaluate the proposal and the state government subsequently submitted a revised proposal of Rs 220 crore.
The central team had recommended that since it may not be possible for the state government to bear the entire cost of Rs 220 crore from its own resources, Planning Commission may consider Additional Central Allocation of Rs 110 crore.
Sports Minister M S Gill subsequently took up the matter with Prime Minister and Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission for giving a grant of Rs 110 crore to Kerala.
