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Vidarbha to introduce pension scheme for former Ranji players

The Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) is set to introduce a pension scheme for former Ranji Trophy players of the region

Cricinfo staff
11-Aug-2010
The Nagpur-based Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA), one of the oldest cricket bodies in India, is set to introduce a pension scheme for former Ranji Trophy players of the region.
The pension amount would be Rs 5000 per month and the VCA would bear a financial burden of approximately Rs 50 lakh per annum, according to a report in The Times of India. "The modalities of the scheme will be worked out shortly by an empowered executive committee and the cut-off date has been fixed as March 31, 2004," VCA president Sudhir Dabir said.
"However, a section of players who had initially played for Vidarbha and later moved to Indian Railways will be excluded from the scheme," VCA's media manager Rajan Nair, who is also a former Ranji allrounder and currently in the BCCI media committee, said.
Similarly, those players who are drawing pension from the BCCI will not be eligible for the VCA pension scheme, as they are already receiving an amount of Rs 10,000 per month.
According to Dabir, there were about 268 former Ranji players who had represented Vidarbha in various zonal and national level tournaments but looking at the criteria and the cut off date, only 94 would be eligible for pension.
"As per the plan, we are involving all those senior members of the VCA who came forward with the proposal in the process to finalise the modalities of the scheme," Dabir said, adding that it should be finalised within two months.
The proposal to introduce the scheme was approved at the annual general body meeting of VCA held recently.