Siliguri, May 25: The Siliguri Municipal Corporation and North Bengal Table Tennis Association have decided to create a fund to help the budding players who face financial constraints in enhancing or displaying their skills.

After successfully organising the National Table Tennis Championship here in December 2007, the SMC and the association had a surplus amount of Rs 5 lakh. According to Bengal minister for urban and municipal affairs Asok Bhattacharya, who was the chief patron of the tournament, Rs 1.20 lakh was earmarked to meet the expenses incurred by those players who fail to get sponsors. A three-member committee, consisting of the minister himself, the mayor, Bikash Ghosh, and paddler Mantu Ghosh, was formed to manage the fund.

Of the surplus money, Rs one lakh each has been given to the Siliguri Mahakuma Krira Parishad and North Bengal Table Tennis Association. The rest of the amount would be spent to buy 12 table tennis boards.

Ghosh, the first Arjuna awardee from the region, said the fund would be of great help to the promising players who found it difficult to arrange money for foreign trips.