SPORTS GETS ₹305.58 CR RAISE IN BUDGET, KHELO INDIA IN FOCUS

NEW DELHI: Country’s tremendous success at the Tokyo Olympics seems to have influenced the sports budget as the central government on Tuesday allocated ₹3062.60 crore for financial year 2022-23—an increase of ₹305.58 crore, compared to the last year’s amount. In the last financial year, the government had allocated ₹2596.14 crore for sports, which was later revised to ₹2757.02 crore.

India won won seven medals, including a historic track and field gold, at the Tokyo Olympics. The sporting activities have also resumed in a phased manner in the country and 2022 is an important season because of two global events—the Birmgham Commonwealth Games and Hangzhou Asian Games— lined up. Considering all of it, the government may have decided to spend more on sporting activities.

The government’s flagship Khelo India programme witnessed am increase of ₹316.29 crore in the 2021-22 budget, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday.

The financial allocation towards Khelo India programme, which got ₹657.71 crore in the last budget, was increased to ₹974 crore.

The total encouragement and awards to sports persons have seen a substantial increase from ₹245 crore to ₹357 crore. The Sports Authority of India’s budget had been reduced by ₹7.41 crore to ₹653 crore. The SAI is the nodal organisation to manage nationals camps, provide infrastructure, equipment and other logistics to the country’s sportspersons.

The allocation towards National Sports Development Fund has been reduced by ₹9 crore to ₹16 crore.

The National service scheme has witnessed a whopping jump of ₹118.50 crore from ₹165 crore to ₹83.50 core. The allocation towards National Sports Federations (NSFs)remained untouched at ₹280 crore.

As far as incentives for sportspersons are concerned, the budget has proposed a minimal hike to ₹55 crore. The budget for National Sports Development Fund has been further reduced to ₹16 crore from ₹25 crore.