New Delhi: The Sports Ministry's Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has approved a Rs 25,000 per month as an Out-of-Pocket Allowance (OPA) for the senior men’s and women's hockey players. The decision was taken during the 156th Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) meeting held here on Thursday.  

The MOC has sanctioned this financial support for 80 hockey players -- 40 men and 40 women -- who are part of the national camps under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). The total expenditure on this initiative will amount to Rs 20 lakh per month, sources in the ministry said.

It added that Hockey India will submit the list of players eligible for the allowance to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) every month.

This step is being seen as a recognition of the Indian men's hockey team's performances in recent years, which include successive Olympic bronze medals at the Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2020, as well as their gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023.

Both the men's and women's hockey teams were selected in the core group under the TOPS in 2023. However, due to the large pool of players, they will only get Rs 25,000 each month as offered to the development group athletes, the sources added.

Under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), the government provides assistance to India’s top athletes for their preparations for Olympic and Paralympic Games. Selected athletes are supported with funding from the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) for customised training and other support not available under normal schemes of the Ministry.

Out-of-pocket allowance (OPA) is paid Rs 50,000 per month to core group athletes while the development group athletes receive an OPA of Rs 25,000. Apart from OPA, the entire expenditure for the training plan submitted by the sportsperson, which is considered and approved by Mission Olympic Cell (MOC), is met under TOPS.

(IANS)