Upset Rao resigns from SAI
Expressing his displeasure at the Special Area Games (SAG) scheme’s merger with Sports Authority of India (SAI) centres, B.V. P.Rao, IAS (retd) has resigned as the member of Governing Body of SAI.
Rao, who wrote to Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, expressed his concerns about the merger and said, “I am deeply saddened that the Governing Body of Sports Authority of India (SAI) has decided that Special Area Games Scheme (SAG) will be merged with SAI Training Centers ( STC) in its last meeting chaired by you on March 13.”
“I am given to understand that you have discussed my suggestion not to merge SAG with STC scheme during the last
Governing Body meeting of SAI. I am told you seem to have commented that the SAG Scheme was working well years ago but it is not the same today. I agree with you to some extent. Over the years several bureaucrats who succeeded me and several Sports Ministers who preceded you, have watered down the SAG scheme for various reasons. If the SAG is not effective as it was originally intended, is its merger with an already proven non-working scheme like STC a solution?” Rao questioned.
In a challenging statement Rao quipped, “What is astonishing is that someone like you, who hails from remote tribal state of Arunachal Pradesh, is not able see the importance of the SAG scheme which essentially focuses on the North East India. I dare challenge you to explain to the Sports World what schemes of SAI or any state government scheme can serve or fulfil or replace the purpose of SAG? Or Under your leadership Sports Ministry is able tap the natural talent of remote and tribal areas of the Country? You need to answer these questions. Let me remind you, senior bureaucracy in the Ministry of Sports and Sports Authority of India that everyone is accountable on policy of national interest.”
“I vividly remember Indian sports legend Sunil Gavaskar calling on Director General Sports Authority of India with a request to make a film on SAG by his own sports management firm. SAG programme is well recorded and telecasted through a six part television serial titled “Quest for Gold". It is, perhaps, the only government scheme in India on which a television serial has been shot with private money! I am quite sure that in a modicum of space SAG may find in the recent history of Indian Sports, the then Sports Minister Mrs Margaret Alva, will be given the credit of nourishing SAG and you will be credited with killing the scheme,” a livid Rao added in his letter.
“My only umbilical cord with Sports Authority of India has been the SAG scheme, which I conceived, planned and implemented for the first five years of its launch. As that connection is permanently destroyed, I don’t have any reason to be associated with SAI. Hence, I do here by resign as the member of Governing Body of Sports Authority of India,” Rao concluded.