<span style="color: #222222;">Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur on Friday launched revised schemes of Cash Awards, National Welfare and Pension to sportspersons, Web Portal for Schemes of Department of Sports and National Sports Development Fund website in New Delhi.<br />'' <br />'' Launching the portal virtually, Anurag Thakur said that the Ministry has brought out several important amendments to Scheme of Cash Award to Medal Winners in International Sports Events and their Coaches, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare for Sportspersons and Pension to Meritorious Sportsperson Scheme of Department of Sports with a vision to make these schemes more user-friendly, easy to access and transparent.<br />'' <br />''The Minister hailed this development as another step towards Digital India by empowering citizens and reducing the gap between Government and citizens, system and facilities, problems and solutions. He also highlighted that procedures have been relaxed for the athletes so that they can get the benefits of welfare schemes without any delay. He appealed to the people, PSUs, corporate houses and other institutions and to make their contribution to the National Sports Development Fund for creating sports infrastructure and facilities for the sportspersons. </span>