Rs 200 crore earmarked for Kashmir
NEW DELHI: The North Eastern states have received an allocation of Rs 192.65 crore this year to go towards sports in the budget presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Parliament here on Thursday.
The figure represents a 76% hike over last year’s allocation of Rs 109.40 crore, up by Rs 83.25 crore. In total, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports received an increase of Rs 562 crore, out of which Rs 200 crore has been marked out for development of infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir in the 2014-15 budget.
In his budget presented in the Lok Sabha, Jaitley allocated Rs 1,643 crore as plan outlay while Rs 126 crore was set aside for non-plan for a total figure of Rs 1,769 crore.
The plan outlay has been increased by Rs 550 crore in the total allocation.
The allocation to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has been increased by Rs 85 crore with government setting aside Rs 405.10 crore, while the National Sports Federations have also got a substantial hike of Rs 25 crore in the assistance provided to them with Rs 185 crore being allotted to them.
However, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan’s allocation has been slashed from Rs 104.85 crore to Rs 20 crore for this year.
The government introduced a new project targetted at improving the sports scene in the Jammu and Kashmir. A total of Rs 200 crore has been allocated for the enhancement of sports facility in the state.
Besides, the Minister announced Rs 100 crore for preparation of athletes who would represent India in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games (July 23 to August 3) and the Incheon Asian Games (September 19 to October 4).
The total budget set aside for sports and games this year is Rs 981.19 crore – Rs 196 crore more than previous allocation.
Rs 11.60 crore has been allocated for Anti-Doping Activities, which is the same as last year. Out of this, National Dope Test Laboratory will get Rs 9 crore.
Hike a little too late
The Indian sports fraternity felt the athletes training for the Commonwealth Games might have run out of time to make full use of the Rs 100 crore budget hike announced on Thursday for their preparations for the July 23 to August 3 event and the subsequent Asian Games, to be held in Incheon, South Korea.
“Considering a lot of disciplines get around Rs three to four crore per year, the Rs 100 crore increase is substantial,” an office-bearer of the Table Tennis Federation of India told PTI after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced the increase in the fund allocation for athletes’ training.
“But I doubt how the amount can be used with Commonwealth Games just two weeks away.”
The Rs 100 crore amount is over and above the Rs 185 crore earmarked for the National Sports Federations, which are supposed to take care of their athletes.
India will take part in 13 out of 17 disciplines at the Glasgow Games and 30 out of 36 at Incheon.
Hockey India Secretary General Narinder Batra, who had threatened to pull the team out of the two quadrennial events, is hoping to receive at least Rs 25 crore out of the amount announced by Jaitley.
“Today’s announcement is a good start by the new government but if we aim to win more medals at the highest level, the government should spend at least Rs 400 crore for the athletes’ training. Our sports budget is not good enough at the moment,” said Batra.
The overall budget for the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports stands at Rs 1,769 crore.
Jiji Thomson, Director General at the Sports Authority of India (SAI), said the sports allocation was way too less for a huge country like India before adding that money was enough for CWG and Asian Games.
“It is a no-brainer that the budget for sports should be a lot more than what it is. But in a country like India, we must understand that change will come gradually. We thank the government for providing us with the funds we had asked for,” said Thomson. (PTI)