The sports ministry on Tuesday paid heed to the archers’ grievance regarding “outdated equipment” by sanctioning Rs 50 lakhs to get the squad ready for the Commonwealth Games in October. The amount is said to cover 28 sets of bow, arrow and other related equipment.
This decision was taken during the Archery Association of India’s steering committee meeting at the Sports Authority of India premises here on the day.
“Assistance will be offered after having seen the ground realities. The AAI will procure all the equipment, while the SAI is to reimburse the cost in due course of time. In fact, we came to a conclusion that this effort should continue for the Asian Games as well as the 2012 London Olympic Games,” AAI general-secretary Paresh Nath Mukherjee told this newspaper.
Rahul Bhatnagar, the joint-secretary of the International Sports Division (Government of India), has already written to SAI regional director S. Harmilapi about the decision and also ensured that the order for fresh equipment be placed as early as possible.
Coach Limba Ram, also present during the meeting, was confident that his archers would secure “at least six gold medals” out of eight.