Chandigarh: Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday announced a reward of Rs 11 lakh for those players who would qualify for Olympics in future.

Hooda, who was speaking at a state-level function organised to honour the state Olympians at Bhim Stadium in Bhiwani also announced a pension of Rs 5,000 for Arjuna and Dronacharya Award recipients. He declared a number of incentives for sportspersons and urged them to take a pledge to win a minimum of 10 gold medals in the London Olympics, to be held 2012.

The CM stated that sports academies would be set up in the state and added that the boxing academy to come up at Bhiwani would be named after Capt Hawa Singh. Besides, a cricket academy would be set up at Jhajjar by Virender Sehwag in public-private partnership. A football academy would come up at Gurgaon with ONGC’s help while MP Naveen Jindal, who was also an international shooter, would set up a sports institute in the state at a cost of Rs 100 crore.

While giving away a cash reward of Rs 50 lakh to boxer Vijender Singh, Hooda offered him a choice between the post of deputy director, sports department, and a DSP, in addition to a residential plot. Wrestler Sushil Kumar was awarded Rs 25 lakh and offered the post of a DSP.

The CM also rewarded Rs 11 lakh each to discus thrower Krishna Punia, shooter Sanjiv Rajpoot and boxer Dinesh for qualifying for the Olympics. Boxers Akhil Kumar and Jitender, wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and badminton player Saina Nehwal got Rs 25 lakh for reaching the quarter final. A similar award of Rs 25 lakh was given to shooter Abhinav Bindra, which was received by his representative. A similar amount was also given to the trainer of boxers at Sai Hostel in Bhiwani, Jagdish Singh. Mementos were presented to Sehwag, Indian women hockey team captain Mamta Kharab and medal winner at the Doha Asian Games in wrestling Geetika Jakhar.

The CM said 161 sports stadia were being constructed in rural areas of the state in view of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. As per the sports policy of Haryana, earlier, Haryana minister of state for sports and youth affairs Kiran Choudhry urged the CM to declare the native villages of Olympians model villages.