Nehru Trophy Boat Race Gets Rs 2 Crore Annual Grant from Kerala Government

The Kerala government has announced an increase in its annual financial assistance for the Nehru Trophy Boat Race (NTBR) to Rs 2 crore , Tourism Minister P C Vishnunadh said on Sunday.

The announcement was made during a meeting of the NTBR Executive Committee in Alappuzha. The minister said the enhanced grant followed a request from Congress MP K C Venugopal . He also assured that the government would consider increasing the maintenance grant for snake boats , subject to budgetary provisions.

Vishnunadh said Rs 11 crore had been allocated this year for the Champions Boat League (CBL) , adding that there would be no disruption in its operations. He noted that the league was conceived on the lines of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and could eventually become financially self-sustaining if implemented as envisioned. However, the CBL will continue in its existing format this year.

Venugopal announced a revision in the prize money for the Nehru Trophy Boat Race. The first prize for the winning snake boat will be Rs 25 lakh , followed by Rs 20 lakh for second place, Rs 15 lakh for third, and Rs 10 lakh for fourth. He also said the participants' bonus would be increased by 25 per cent and urged the government to enhance the maintenance grant for snake boats while seeking continued support from the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC).

The minister assured that financial assistance to the Alappuzha DTPC would not be reduced despite a rationalisation of district allocations.

The Nehru Trophy Boat Race , held annually on Punnamada Lake , is one of Kerala's premier tourism events, drawing visitors from across India and abroad. This year's race is scheduled for August 22 .