The Hindu : Sportspersons' honorarium may go up

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 04, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Sportspersons' honorarium may go up

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore March 3. The monthly honorarium given to outstanding sportspersons was proposed to be raised, the Minister of State for Youth Services and Sports, S.S.Mallikarjun, told the Legislative Assembly today.

He told told Shankaralinge Gowda (BJP) and others during Question Hour that at present 496 sportspersons who had excelled at the State level, 54 at the national level, and seven at the international level and who were over 50 years were being paid the honorarium.

While the amount paid to those in the first category was Rs. 300, it was Rs. 400 and Rs. 600, respectively, for the other two categories. The annual expenditure was Rs.17 lakh, Mr. Mallikarjun said. A decision on enhancing it would be taken soon, he said.

Asked about the steps taken to promote rural sportspersons, Mr. Mallikarjun said the zilla panchayats and municipalities had been asked to set apart two per cent and one per cent, respectively, of their funds for sports development.

Choultry in Tirumala

Replying to a question by N.Sampangi, the Minister of State for Muzrai, Suma Vasant, gave a list of gold and other ornaments the erstwhile Maharaja of Mysore had given to the Venkateshwara Temple in Tirumala, and said there was periodical inspection of the ornaments.

Ms. Vasant said the Government had spent Rs. 43 lakh to improve the choultry, cottages, and water supply. At one stage, the Speaker, M.V.Venkatappa, intervened to refer to complaints or poor conditions in Tirumala and asked the minister to visit the place and solve the problems. The minister, however, said she had visited the place and pointed out that the facilities would be improved.

IT Park complex

The Minister of State for Information Technology, D.B.Inamdar, and the members were divided on what exactly was the sale price of the commercial complex, Keonics had purchased from the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation to locate an IT Park.

While the main questioner, Honnalli Jabbar Khan Hayath Khan, and the Leader of the Opposition, Jagadish Shettar, maintained that it was Rs. 23 crore, the minister maintained that it was Rs.18.82 crore. This prompted the Speaker to announce a meeting between the two sides in his chamber.

In his written reply, Mr. Inamdar said the corporation had been paid Rs.15.83 crore and the balance would be paid after the documents were registered. Mr. Khan and Mr. Shettar, however, disputed the sale price.

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