UPCA plans to include umpires, scorers too
After announcing one-time financial assistance to ex-cricketers of the state, the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) has plans to include former umpires and scorers in this scheme as it believes their contribution to the game is of great value, too.
If the scheme for umpires and scorers gets going, around 25-30 such individuals, including UP’s only international umpires Satish Gupta, Mukul Ghosh, TD Mukherjee, Saurabh Chaturvedi and Premnath Bajpai would benefit.
“Yes, we have plans to give one-time financial assistance to former umpires and scorers. We haven’t decided on the modalities, including the bracket of financial assistance, but we will come up with a scheme for them too,” UPCA’s secretary Yudhveer Singh said on Thursday.
Recently, UPCA announced a one-time financial assistance scheme for ex-cricketers and around 80-90 players, including women cricketers, would be getting cheques. Cricketers who have played 1-5 matches would get Rs 50,000. Those who have played 6-15 matches and 16-24 matches would get Rs 75,000 and Rs 1 lakh respectively.
People familiar with the matter confirmed that a former international cricketer from the state had persuaded BCCI vicepresident and UPCA director Rajeev Shukla to bring the scheme. This is the third time when UPCA is giving financial assistance to former greats. A sum of Rs 30,000 and later on Rs 50,000 were given to these cricketers in the past. But the third time would be the final assistance to them as UPCA has no plans for any pension scheme.
“It’s going be the full and final financial assistance to former cricketers. We don’t have any pension scheme. Even in the past, the cricket body has given financial assistance to these cricketers,” said Singh.
“We have got a very good response from everyone and all are appreciating UPCA for such a move,” he said.
On the other hand, most of the former cricketers criticized the one-time financial assistance and asked why a pension scheme was not being brought.
“Why not regular pension for us? What’s the problem with UPCA? Don’t they have funds,” former cricketer and UPCA selection committee chairman Neeru Kapoor said on Thursday.
“What UPCA today is because of former and present cricketers. It (UPCA) gets crores of rupees every year from the cricket board, but they spend little on cricket development. Giving pension to ex-cricketers will help them save taxes,” said Kapoor who was paid just Rs six at his debut match in the Ranji Trophy in 1964.
“Financial assistance to ex-cricketers isn’t a gift from the cricket body, but it’s their right. We played cricket for UP’s pride and not for money,” added Kapoor who still remembers the joy of a cup of coffee @ Rs 1 at the coffee house in Allahabad (Prayagraj) during his debut match against Vidarbha at the Madan Mohan Malviya Stadium, where he could score one run being the eighth down batsman.
He retired from the post of deputy director sports in UP Sports Directorate. Kapoor, 78, said every living ex-cricketer should be paid Rs 5 lakh, if UPCA really wished to respect their contribution to UP cricket.
“Instead of spending huge money on the conduct of AGMs and other meetings every year, UPCA should think of a pension scheme for the ex-cricketers instead of one-time financial assistance.”
Another former Ranji Trophy cricketer Ashok Bambi, currently a member of UPCA’s Apex Council, though hailed UPCA’s one-time financial assistance scheme and said the pension scheme would be the better option.
“I am thankful to UPCA director Rajeev Shukla Ji that UPCA has finally agreed to honour the ex-cricketers through financial assistance, but still I believe that pension scheme is the best suited system.”
He, however, said that he would continue his demand for a pension scheme for the ex-cricketers. “In both the meetings of the UPCA since January 2020, everyone agreed to a pension scheme, and I don’t understand how UPCA decided to implement the one-time assistance scheme,” said Bambi, an ex-captain of Central Zone.
Kanpur’s Hari Daas Bhandari, who played for UP in the 1960s, congratulated the UPCA authorities on launching onetime financial assistance scheme for the ex-cricketers.
“It’s not the money which matters to me, but it’s a kind of honour and I am thankful to UPCA for it,” he said.