India’s shooting coaches unpaid for over a year

Starting off,the Sports Authority of India (SAI) had raised objections against few of the names that were put forward by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) for approval. They did not approve of the inclusion of Kanwar Randhir Singh against whom a criminal case was registered.

Initially,it was decided that chief coaches were to be bracketed in the Rs 50,000 category,while others were to get 30,000 per month. But then the decision was reversed and it was decided that the coaches would be paid on a pro-rata basis and that further delayed the completion of the process.

“None of us have received anything since the time we were made coaches,” said Jaspal Rana,who is the chief coach of the junior pistol team. “Haven’t signed on any contract,but we are doing what we are supposed to do,“ he added.

The case becomes tricky in the case of the likes of GD Dhar,who is part of the pistol coaching team,and Preeti Sharma,who is on the junior pistol panel,who left their jobs to be part of the panel. Sources in the NRAI say that some of the coaches are also partly to be blamed in this delay.

“One gentleman from the senior coaching panel wrote a letter demanding that he be paid on a monthly basis. You know how the government machinery works,they took more time on deliberations as a result this got further delayed,” he said.

But the issue is close to being solved,according to Director (teams),SAI,Rajinder Singh. He says that very soon,the salaries will be released to the coaches. “We will be releasing their pay soon. I think within a week it should be done,” Singh confirmed.