Players to get out of pocket allowance of USD 25 daily, why s2h editor is happy

Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has today announced out of pocket allowance of USD 25 to each player on sporting assingment on tours.

This announcement came in the wake Press Trust of India’s report that, quoting senior women hockey players, some unemployed Indian players who won the Silver at the recent Asia Cup, were not getting the daily pocket allowance.

This report was written by K. Arumugam, s2h editor, for PTI on Monday, after the India-China final. He covered the Asia Cup for the India’s premier news agency.

Most of the newspapers carried the news item, and within 36 hours, the Ministry came out with this heartwarming announcment. Perhaps the timing of the report was such that it reached the media on the same day the victorious team returned to Delhi from Thailand, and it helped the feeling of the women hockey players to echo on all media platform.

“I was pained when player after player complained about two things in my Bangkok interaction. One is, when the Indian Hockey Federation gives its players a specificed sum as pocket allowance, why not the IWHF?”.

“Second was, while those players employed with the Railways get the allowance from them, what happened to thoses who are not in the service at all?”

“Therefore I filed the report, but of course after the finals, as I did not want to send any negative report during the tournament. Now am happy the whole sporing fraternity are the beneficiaries”, elated Arumugam said.

At the same time the editor also felt it is the duty of the Federations to pay for the players on tour, not the government.

“Before the Athens Olympics, for instance, KPS Gill’s regime paid all the dues to players, for their days at Arizona training included”. Therefore, it is the duty of the IWHF, or whoever manages the women hockey today, to make the payment, not certainly the government who are already bearing boading, lodging and travelling expenses of most of hockey tours.”

“By showing the magnanimity, the government has relieved the Federations of another responsibility”, Arumugam further stated.

“After my article on Dhyan Chand found its way into the CBSE Syllabus and the 11th Standard Englsih Text Book, this is another personal landmark”, Arumugam felt.

Following is the verbatim communication of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, as issued by the Rajesh Malhotra, the Diector of Communications

New Delhi, November 11, 2009: The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has decided to provide Out of Pocket Allowance @ USD 25 per head to players and other members of the Indian contingent who are deputed as part of the official contingent at Government cost for the participation in major international sports events abroad.

Keeping in view the long standing demand of the sportspersons, the Ministry has issued orders yesterday with a direction to all National Sports Federations for implementation with an immediate effect