Sports ministry hikes athletes' diet charges, doubles coaches' salaries

BOTH athletes and coaches will see a considerable hike in their dietary allocations and salaries respectively with the sports ministry revising the Scheme of Assistance to the national sports federations on Thursday.

- INDRANEEL DAS/FIROZ MIRZA @Chennai

Under the revised norms, diet charges for senior sportspersons in national camps have been increased from ₹690 to ₹1000 per day per athlete. For juniors, it has been increased from ₹480 to ₹850 per day per athlete.

Besides, the ministry has also made a provision for the additional diet allowances for certain sports disciplines where it is felt that the diet charges are not sufficient to meet the energy requirements of the athletes for heavy and middleweight power events, endurance, sprints, low weight power events, and skill events.

Not only this, a dietary allowance of ₹10,000 per month to each of the probable group athletes will be paid for non-camp days, so that these athletes are not deprived of proper diet during non-camp days.