Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday declared the creation of a new dedicated department for Sports and Youth Affairs in Delhi, solely responsible for supporting and nurturing the potential of young sportspersons and youth across the national capital.
The announcement was made by the CM during an interaction with children from Delhi Olympic Association, various government schools, and sports training centres, who had come to the Delhi Legislative Assembly to meet Gupta.
The children expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the Delhi government’s historic and visionary initiatives aimed at benefiting young athletes, and meritorious students of the national capital.
CM has said, “Our athletes deserve more than applause, they deserve infrastructure, respect, and long-term institutional support.”
Gupta further announced the establishment of sports coaching centres across the city to ensure that no athlete is left behind due to lack of access or resources.
Gupta affirmed, “Every child in Delhi, regardless of their background, will now have the chance to receive professional training and pursue their sporting dreams.”
CM shared her vision of empowering every child in Delhi to become self-reliant, confident, and inspired, and she recalled that upon assuming office, she was deeply moved by the dedication of Delhi’s athletes, who, despite their perseverance, lacked adequate recognition and institutional support.
“To correct this, we brought in the most progressive sports policy in the country,” she added.
Under this new policy, the CM announced that the Olympic medal winners from Delhi will receive Rs 7 crore in case of ‘gold medal’, Rs 5 crore for silver, and Rs 3 crore for bronze, adding these are the highest cash awards offered by any state in the country so far.
Additionally, athletes will now be eligible for Grade A, B, and C government jobs, ensuring long-term career opportunities, Gupta said.
She urged children to respond to the historic steps with determination, adding that, “Your true gratitude will be reflected not in words, but in your success stories, when you bring pride to Delhi and to the nation.”
Minister Ashish Sood, who was also present on the occasion praised the CM’s bold vision, noting that recognizing talent is important, but nurturing it with complete commitment is what sets great governments apart.