Jamshedpur, Nov. 17: If exorbitant prices of firearms kept you away from trying a hand at shooting, join Jamshedpur Rifle Club (JRC).

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has recently recognised the JRC as one of its affiliated units.

The affiliation effectively means that now the rifle club can avail of firearms and ammunition at subsidised rates as well as field its own shooting team for national meets, JRC sources said.

JRC secretary Uttam Chand Agarwal said, ?We had been facing lot of problems in acquiring the stock of arms and ammunition. We had to purchase the same from the open market, as only affiliated units of the NRAI are entitled to get arms and ammunition at subsidised rates,? he said.

The senior JRC functionary, however, added that it was the club, which has been given the affiliation. The state shooting body is yet to be accorded NRAI recognition.

?There is a provision in the NRAI constitution to give direct affiliation to rifle clubs of the country. We would not be enjoying the right to vote in the NRAI elections but would start getting arms and ammunition at subsidised rates,? Agarwal added.

He said they have purchased some arms and ammunition through the NRAI at a subsidised rate and activities at the club would gain momentum.

?At present, we have about 100 members. The NRAI affiliation would also pave way for more memberships as shooting would not be as costly as before,? Agarwal said.

Sources added that it took lot of effort from the JRC officials to convince their NRAI counterparts to recognise the club as one of its affiliated units. ?We have been trying to get NRAI affiliation since the creation of Jharkhand. But things were not materialising. However, the situation has changed and we are looking ahead to better days,? they said.

According to sources, shooters from the JRC had till now been riding ?piggyback? of clubs from other states, including West Bengal, while participating in national meets.