India’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year at the parliament on Wednesday and the sports sector is set to receive its highest-ever allocation of a whooping sum of Rupees Rs 3,397.32 crores.
The spike in the allocation accounts for an increase of over Rupees 700 Crores from the previous fiscal year.
Sports Authority of India, which takes care of organising national camps for athletes, providing infrastructure and equipment to athletes, appointment of coaches and maintaining sports infrastructure, among others, is set to receive Rs 785.52 crore in the year while Khelo Indian has been allocated Rs 1045 crores, the most for any Indian entity in the stipulated term.
National Sports Federation stand to receive Rs 325 crore as National Service Scheme will also receive the same budget.
Rupees 15 crores will be issued to National Sports Development in the 2023-24 period.
This year’s budget has also allocated Rs 13 crore for the National Centre of Sports Science and Research citing the importance and relevance of the advancement in sport science in recent times.
National Anti Doping Agency, NADA, will receive Rs 21.73 crores, while the National Drug Testing Lab, NDTL, which carries out the tests is set to be issued Rs 19.5 crores.
With the Asian Games 2023 around the corner and the Paris Olympics looming large on the horizon, the government feels that the injection of additional funds into the sector would bolster India’s chance to shine on the international stage.
India enjoyed a good outing at the Commonwealth Games in the year 2022. The country ended the multisport event in Birmingham with a tally of 61 medals, of which 22 were gold, 16 were silver and 23 of the rest were bronze medals.
The country’s programme for the development of sports, Khelo India, has received a tremendous response over the years and has aided in unearthing some of the finest raw talent present in various sports in India.
(With inputs from PTI)
Comments
0 comment