The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has given cash awards worth over two crore rupees to 158 sportspersons who won medals in international sports events during 2010-11 and 2011-12. The awards were distributed by the Youth Affairs and Sports minister Ajay Maken to over 20 winners present at a function in New Delhi today. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Maken said, the ministry has set aside fifty lakh rupees to sportspersons who win gold in Olympics, thirty thousand for silver and twenty thousand for brozne medalists. The awards were presented to sportspersons belonging to archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, chess, weight lifting, and winter sports. AIR correspondent reports that the cash awards under the scheme- special awards for winners of medals in international events and their coaches- are aimed at incentivising the sports persons who win medals in international events like Olympic Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.