Ranji Trophy cricketers to be included in pension plan

The Indian board (BCCI) is all set to extend its pension scheme to encompass those who have played a minimum of ten Ranji Trophy games according to recommendations made during the board's finance committee meeting.

Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, said that the proposals would be taken up at the next Working Committee meeting. "As per the recommendations, all those cricketers, who have played more than 75 Ranji Trophy ties before 2003-04 season, would get Rs 15,000, those who have played between 50 to 75 matches, would receive Rs 10,000 and those who have played 10 matches before the league system was introduced in 1958-59 would also get Rs 10,000 per month."

He said that no concrete decisions were taken at the constitution review committee meeting and the discussions would continue for some more days. "The main discussions are on making the term of office bearers to a uniform three years without the need for being re-elected at the end of one year and over prescribing eligibility criteria, such as a minimum number of AGMs attended by a member, for becoming an office bearer," said Shah. "We are also committed to set aside the corpus of Rs 50 crore for helping Olympic sports, but that also needs to be included in the new constitution."

All these recommended changes in the board's constitution would have to be approved at the special general meeting to be convened on May 20.