NEPAL POLICE, APF COMPETE FOR LEADERSHIP OF INDUSTRIAL SECURITY FORCE Kathmandu, 24 Aug.: Nepal Police and Armed Police Force (APF) are lobbying for leadership of industrial security force at a time when leadership of Nepal Police is changing., KP Dhungana writes in Nagarik. A new IGP takes over Nepal Police soon. Government hasn’t taken a decision on the leadership, strength and modality of the industrial force. nnnn MONTHLY STIPEND OF NATIONAL FOOTBALLERS DOUBLED Kathmandu, 24 Aug.: The executive committee meeting of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) made amendment in format of the National League, The Himalayan Times reports from Lalitpur.. ANFA decided to introduce Super League instead of National League among the top eight ‘A’ Division outfits, while District FAs will be restricted to District and Regional Leagues. “After evaluating the inaugural National League last year, we have decided to change the format,” said the ANFA President Ganesh Thapa. “Considering the gulf in the district football teams and that of the teams from Kathmandu Valley, we have decided to restrict them to the Regional League,” said Thapa adding that the change in format will make the game more competitive. Thapa further added they were yet to decide the number of clubs and prize money for the Super League. “Tentatively, however, we are planning to include top eight ‘A’ Division clubs and give away Rs 7.5 million as prize money for the Super League champions,” added Thapa. The meeting has decided to increase the salary of the men’s national team footballers by 100 per cent and begin providing monthly salary to women national footballers as well. ANFA will now provide montly Rs 10,000 to the men’s team, while women national footballers will receive Rs 5,000. ANFA also decided to raise the monthly wages of the FIFA Referees and FIFA Assistant Referees by 100 per cent. With the increment, all 13 referees — four FIFA referees and nine Assistant referees — will receive Rs 4,000 per month. ANFA also increased the annual grants to its district FAs by 100 per cent. As per the increment, all district FAs will now get 50,000. ANFA has also raised the wages of district coaches and with it added more responsibilities on them. Coaches at 45 district FAs will get Rs 5,000 per month now onwards. ANFA has announced a construction of a Mini Stadium in the Kathmandu Valley. As a starter, ANFA will spend Rs 80 million collected from the gate revenue, while the remaining amount will be sought from the government, FIFA, AFC and other international donors. “We have collected Rs 80 million rupees from various tournaments and we will start construction work after finding a suitable land,” said Thapa. ANFA also announced the Sharad Shah Memorial Award in memory of the former National Sports Council Member Secretary Sharad Chand Shah. Sports personalities, clubs, district FAs or FA members will be honoured with the award annually from next year on the death anniversary of Shah. The award carries a purse of Rs 500,000. ANFA also plans to upgrade and maintain physical infrastructures of ANFA Academy at Dharan and Butwal, while it also approved construction of the astro-turf pitch at the ANFA Complex grounds. FIFA has provided $500,000 for construction of astro-turf pitch. ANFA has already announced setting up astro-turf pitches in 10 hilly districts — Ilam, Dhankuta, Panchthar, Sindhupalchowk, Dolakha, Kavre, Palpa, Syangja, Baglung and Lamjung — under the Goal Project-IV. ANFA will allott $50,000 for each districts, while the respective District FAs have to manage remaining amount themselves to complete the project. ANFA also endorssed Rs 500,000 for each of the families of former Under-14 footballers duo — Ranjan Thapa and Sagar Pariyar — who lost their lives in a bus mishap in Dhading on August 7. The meeting also announced to hold its Annual General Meeting on December 18. nnnn