TOPS sanctions use of ₹ 50 lakh for shooters

Nine Indian shooters to benefit from the funds.

File Photo: Double-trap shooter Shardul Vihan (right) will gain access to ₹ 8.6 lakhs under the scheme.

A total of ₹ 50 Lakhs were sanctioned and ratified for the training and preparations of nine Indian shooters under the TOPS scheme ahead of the upcoming Asian Games and World Championships on Wednesday even as four of them were dropped on grounds of non-performance.

The Mission Olympic Cell meeting cleared funding for training, support staff, competition and equipment expenses across six sports including para games. The highest amount (₹ 8.6 lakhs) has been sanctioned for double trap shooter Shardul Vihan — ₹ 6.53 for his 13-day training with national coach Marcello Dradi in Italy and ₹ 2.06 lakhs for purchase of shooting accessories.

Jitu Rai excluded

Those dropped include Jitu Rai, Yashaswini Deswal, Amanpreet Singh and Neeraj Kumar. Also out of the TOPS scheme are Shot-putter Om Prakash Karhana, 400m relay runner Mohan Kumar and middle-distance runner Lili Das though Das is likely to be re-inducted by virtue of her age and potential going forward.

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Expenses for paddler Manika Batra, para high jumper Sharad Kumar, wrestler Vinesh Phogat and boxers Sonia Lather, Manoj Kumar, Gaurav Solanki and Shiva Thapa have also been approved.