Odisha govt unmaks Dutee’s poverty claim, says you have received Rs 4.09 crore in 5 years

Odisha govt busts Dutee’s distress claim, says ace sprinter has received Rs 4.09 crore since 2015

Earlier, Dutee had put up a Facebook post seeking to sell her BMW car to raise fund for training

Dutee now employed in OMC wit monthly salary of Rs 84,604

By Sukanta Mohanty/Kishore Mohapatra

BHUBANESWAR, JULY 17: Ace sprinter Dutee Chand who had earlier put up a request on Facebook seeking a potential buyer for her BMW car “to raise funds” for her Tokyo Olympics training ostensibly to send a message to the public and state government that she was in financial distress, was on Thursday caught on the wrong foot after Odisha sports and youth services issued a statement clarifying that the ace athlete had received a total of Rs 4.09 crore since 2015.

“Dutee has received Rs 3 crore as financial incentive for medals won at Asian Games 2018, Rs 30 lakh for training and financial support during 2015-19,  Rs 50 lakh for training support for Tokyo Olympics (released In two installments on 02/08/2019 and 27/12/2019),” the statement read.

“The state government has appointed Dutee Chand as Group-A level officer in state-owned Odisha Mining Corporation (A Gold Category PSU). She is currently drawing a gross salary of Rs 84,604 (June 2020 salary) per month. She is not required to come to office so that she is able to concentrate full-time on training. Accordingly, since her appointment in OMC, no official work has been allotted to her. OMC provided Rs 29 lakh for training and financial incentives,” the statement added.

Dutee, on Wednesday, had said that she sold her sedan to get some “breathing space’ and not burden Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) or the Odisha Government.

“I took to social media to sell my cars. I don’t have the resources to maintain luxury cars, though I love them. I never expressed that I am selling it to fund my training,” Dutee had said in a statement on her Twitter account.

“Odisha government and my own KIIT University have always supported me. This does not deny the fact that my training is very expensive, especially for the 2021 Olympics.

“I just wanted to make a point that this money could be diverted for my training and a car can be bought post Covid once I receive the money from the state government.

“With folded hands, I want to say that I was neither complaining nor making a show of my lack of finance because I am a daughter of the country and my well-wishers are there to keep me going. Bless me for my training at Kalinga Stadium so that my dream of getting a gold for my country comes true,” wrote the 24-year-old.

Dutee has deleted her Facebook post seeking to sell her BMW car.