In a goodwill gesture, the civil aviation ministry and Indian Airlines have decided to grant 50 per cent air fare concession to Arjuna awardees. Civil Aviation Minister Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters in New Delhi that all Arjuna awardees will be allowed six round trips every year henceforth.

Sports Minister Uma Bharti came to me with the proposal. We discussed it and decided to extend the concession to Arjuna awardees as well, Hussain said.

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Under a trade-deal, the Indian Airlines is already giving concession to players engaged in any tournament (of any age-category) organised by the cricket board or its unit. However, all these concessions have a per flight cap and the regular paying customer will not be undermined.

Bharti said besides cricket there were hardly one or two sport disciplines which enjoyed popularity or boasted of good income to players. The idea was to help out those sports persons who were languishing and were not well-off.

Of course, even the 50 per cent of the air fare would be too much of an economic burden on such players and I am sure they would only avail the concession in cases of medical or any other emergency, she said.

The minister said her department was looking into the whole issue of neglected sports persons living in penury and a scheme for benefitting them was on the anvil.
Bureau Report