Mohali (Punjab), Feb 5 (IANS) The Punjab government Friday disbursed cash rewards of over Rs.7.48 crore to the state's players, including Commonwealth Games medalists, and announced that any player winning a gold medal in the next Olympics would get Rs.2.25 crore reward.

Over 50 players, including Commonwealth Games (CWG) and Asian Games medalists, were honoured at a special function held here.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal honoured the players with cash prizes.

The players included 17 medalists of the 2010 New Delhi CWG and 17 medalists of the Guangzhou Asian Games (November 2010). The CWG medalists got rewards worth Rs.2.58 crore while the Asian Games' medalists got over Rs.3 crore.

"It will be for the first time in the history of the state that such a big amount was presented to the medalists of Asian, Commonwealth Games and other international
events," Sukhbir Badal, who is also Punjab's sports minister, said.

Shooter Ronjan Sodhi, who won one gold and one bronze medal in Asian Games and two silver medals in the CWG, took home a whopping Rs.95 lakh.

Shooter Manavjit Singh Sandhu was richer by Rs.58.66 lakh while fellow shooters Abhinav Bindra and Heena Sidhu took home Rs.43 lakh and Rs.48.33 lakh, respectively.

Athletes Manjit Kaur and Mandeep Kaur got Rs.48 lakh and Rs.43 lakh, respectively.

Badal announced that players who win a gold medal in the next Olympics would get a reward of Rs.2.25 crore while silver and bronze medalists will get Rs.1.01 crore and Rs.51 lakh, respectively.