Pension hike for retired cricketers

Ahmedabad: Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sharad Pawar on Sunday said that the Board had chalked out a pension scheme of Rs 25,000 per month for each of the retired cricketers.

"The board decided that since its income had touched Rs 1000 crores from Rs 120 crores, it should do something for the former players who had selflessly laid the foundation stone for the sport. If the player is not alive then his wife would get the pension amount," Pawar said.

He said that each state cricket association would also stand to earn more from television rights and other means and this earning could touch Rs 20 crores in the coming days.

"With such high income the associations should pledge to improve the standard of the game and also give better facilities to players so that they remain with the sport, grow with it and can make a living out of it," he said.

He said the BCCI was working in a manner that those playing international matches would earn in crores while Ranji level players would earn in lakhs.

Pawar said experts from Australia would be brought to Gujarat to inspect and suggest methods of imporvement for various cricket pitches across Gujarat apart from the Motera cricket ground in Ahmedabad.

BCCI is also discussing how to improve umpiring and player selection standards at the domestic level, he added.

Pawar also urged the state Petroleum Minister Dinsha Patel, who is president of Kheda District Cricket Association, to approach oil companies like Reliance and ONGC and get jobs for cricketers to provide them a means of livelihood.

"I will try at my end and speak to Murli (Deora) but I am sure that Dinshabhai will also put in an effort in this area as it is an importnt one to secure the future of our players", Pawar said.

Unhappy with the condition of other sports in the country and with the country's poor show at the Olympic level, Pawar said the BCCI was considering steps to boost other sports.

"BCCI is a rich sports body and is considering boosting other sports. We will require the help of each state cricket association and other sports bodies to make this possible," he added.