The Commonwealth Games, which are being seen as an opportunity to showcase the potential of the country, have ensured a healthy sports budget for the upcoming financial year.
The Commonwealth Games, which are being seen as an opportunity to showcase the potential of the country on various fronts, have ensured a healthy sports budget for the upcoming financial year.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has been allotted a total of Rs 2,844 crore, with most of it going towards the sports ministry. The original budget for the previous financial year was Rs 2,699 crores, but which eventually went up to Rs. 2,967 crores.
“I am very happy that the Finance Minister has consistently supported us for sports and the Commonwealth Games. I am fully funded,” said minister MS Gill after the budget was announced in Parliament on Friday.
The Commonwealth Games have been given Rs 2,296.43 crore under various heads, with the sports ministry receiving a major part of the money, to be used mainly towards organising the games. This will include expenditure on various committees that will be formed to ensure a smooth conduct of the event.
The sports ministry has been given Rs 2,069.52 crore, out of which Rs 1,175.54 crores goes to the organising committee, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and sports organisations. Continuing rise in prices of construction material has meant an additional Rs 377.92 crore going towards construction and renovation of venues.
Continuing its support for Indian sportspersons to train and compete both in India and abroad, an additional Rs 378 crore has been sanctioned for preparation of athletes.
Apart from this, the Union Urban Development Ministry has been allocated Rs 179.60 crore, while the Delhi government has got Rs 50 crore.
But while the funds have not ebbed after the previous two years saw a major part of the money going towards sports infrastructure, the Delhi government was left disappointed.
The city government, which was given an assistance of Rs. 2,000 crore in the previous budget, was expecting a similar amount this time too. Several flyover and other road projects that have come up over the past few years, have reportedly led to a shortfall in the sports government’s budget.
Delhi Finance Minister AK Walia, however, promised that work would keep going at full steam to ensure that the October 3 to 14 event would not be found wanting on any front.
“We were expecting more money. But we will continue to strive hard and utilise our own resources for completion of all the projects in time,” he said. As for the ‘Panchayat Yuva Krida aur Khel Abhiyan’ project, a total of Rs 413 crores has been allotted to ensure activities in rural areas.
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