Chandigarh, March 26 — Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday announced that wrestler Vinesh Phogat will be offered benefits equivalent to a silver medal winner under the state’s sports policy, despite her disqualification at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Phogat, who reached the final, was disqualified for exceeding the stipulated weight by 100 grams. Saini said the Council of Ministers treated her as a special case, granting her eligibility for benefits that include a ₹4 crore cash prize, a Group A government job, and an HSVP plot.
“Since Phogat is now an MLA, the Council will seek her preference regarding the benefits she wishes to avail,” an official spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, the Council also approved a one-year extension of the Haryana Aatmanirbhar Textile Policy 2022-25, pushing its validity to December 18, 2026. The cap on the number of cases under the capital investment subsidy for textile units was removed.
The policy, aimed at attracting ₹4,000 crore in investment and generating 20,000 jobs, has received 354 applications since its launch. Of these, 108 applications involving ₹367.51 crore in grant-in-aid have been approved.
