Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar honours Phogat sisters, assures jobs to excellent sports persons

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar honoured ace wrestler sisters Geeta and Babita Phogat on Sunday and gave “cashless Shagun” to the former who recently got married.

The sisters along with their father Mahavir Phogat met Khattar at the Chief Minister’s residence. Residents of Balali village in Charkhi Dadri district, the trio’s life inspired the Amir Khan starrer film, Dangal, that has received a good response at the box-office.“They have brought laurels to the state and the nation. Their father has also submitted a charter of demands for development works to be undertaken in their native village,” Khattar said.

The demands include development of sports infrastructure in 10 acres and repair of a road, he said, adding the Haryana government is taking steps to promote sports and turn the state into a sports hub. After giving the “cashless Shagun”, the Chief Minister urged people to make cashless transactions as it was an easy and clean way to make payments.

Interacting with journalists, Geeta said she and her four sisters will participate in the second edition of the Pro Wrestling League that begins from Monday. On the achievements of the wrestler sisters, Khattar said the film ‘Dangal’ has been made on their lives and such initiatives boost the efforts being made to improve sex ratio in the state.

“The sex ratio that was 850 females per 1000 males in Haryana has now crossed the 914 mark because of the state’s efforts to better the socio-economic status of women,” the Chief Minister said.

On some sports persons approaching the court to get government jobs despite a policy, Khattar said a committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of the Haryana Chief Secretary to streamline the process of giving employment to outstanding sports persons of the state.

Based on the recommendations of the committee a new policy will be formulated, he said. Khattar also announced that wrestling mats will be provided to 100 ‘akhadas’ in 2017 to facilitate wrestlers.