Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today that eight hundred twenty one sports persons are getting life-long pension under the Sports Fund for Pension to Meritorious Sports Persons Scheme.

He said, the Ministry is providing assistance for livelihood to sports persons after their retirement in the form of monthly pension under the scheme.

The Minister said, under the scheme, sports persons who are Indian citizens and have won medals in Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and World Cup or World Championship in Olympic and Asian Games disciplines and Paralympic Games, are given life-long monthly pension ranging from 12 to 20 thousand rupees, after they attain the age of 30 years or retire from active sports, whichever is later.