Reservation for sportspersons to extend to all departments in Karnataka

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai made the announcement while felicitating CWG medallists.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai with CWG 2022 medallists cricketer Rajeshwari Gayakwad (right), weightlifter Gururaja Poojary (left), during the felicitation ceremony in Bengaluru on August 16. | Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K

Chief Minister of Karnataka Basavaraj Bommai assured sportspersons in Karnataka that the two per cent reservation currently in place for sporting professionals and athletes in the forest and police departments would be extended to all departments.

Bommai announced this on August 16 during an event at Vidhana Soudha, where he honoured sportspersons from Karnataka who had won medals at the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. He also felicitated 75 sportspersons selected under the ‘Amrit Kreeda Dattu Yojana’ at the event. (This scheme was put in place to ensure financial support and training for sportspersons from Karnataka who were identified as having the potential to compete in the 2024 Olympics. A sum of Rs.10 lakh was provided to each sportsperson under the aegis of this scheme.)

“An approval to extend the reservation for sportspersons to all departments keeping in mind their financial security has been given and the file will be cleared soon. The government has understood that job security is essential for sportspersons. Sportspersons should never forget that they are competing to win medals for the country and themselves. They should leave the rest to the government,” Bommai said.

He added that Karnataka was the only State with a special scheme for sportspersons and made the announcement that basketball would be declared as the State’s sport. “To identify talent in rural areas, events will be organised within the next two months. The State has a number of talented sportspersons who have participated in the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games in a variety of sports. Their achievements inspire us,” Bommai said.

Medal winners and participants in the Commonwealth Games from Karnataka Gururaja Poojary (weightlifting), Rajeshwari Gayakwad (cricket), Priya Mohan (athletics), Ankita Suresh (women’s hockey coach) were felicitated by the Chief Minister.