CHENNAI: KHELO India remains the sports ministry's priority with maximum budgetary allocation for the next financial year. Despite not hosting the Khelo India Youth Games, University and Winter Games, the budget estimate of `657.71 crore was revised to `869 crore. For the next financial year 2022-23, the budget estimate is `974 crore for Khelo India.
But hosting Games is just one of the 12 components or verticals of Khelo India and the budget could be utilised under any of these. Interestingly, there were quite a few disruptions in training programmes of the junior athletes in various Sports Authority of India centres due to Covid. Talent identification too took a hit due to Covid. Without the youth Games, it got only worse.
The 12 verticals of Khelo India are utilization and creation/upgradation of sports infrastructure, playfield development, community coaching development, state-level Khelo India centres, Annual Sports Competition, talent search and development, support to national/regional/state sports academies, physical fitness of school children, sports for women, promotion of sports amongst people with disabilities, sports for peace and development, promotion of rural and indigenous/tribal games.
Increase in overall budget
With the Asian and Commonwealth Games slated this year, the sports budget has seen an increase of 305.58 crore next financial year. In 2021-2022 the budget estimate of 2596.14 crores was revised to 2757.02 crore (including capital of 2.50 crore). And for the next financial year, the budget estimate is 3062.60 crore (including `5.32 capital). In 2020-21, though the budgetary allocation was 2636.06 crore, the ministry spent around `1800 crore (revised estimate) because of Covid and lack of training and competitions.
For National Sports Federations this time (financial year 2022-23) the budget has remained the same as the budget estimate of `280 crore of 2021-22. Interestingly, this financial year the revised budget for NSFs assistance was just `181 crore, almost `99 crore less than original budget. In 2020-21 assistance to NSFs was even lower — `130 crore (revised figures), despite `245 crore allocation. This is mainly because quite a few national camps could not be held and non-priority sports national camps too were sporadic due to restrictions.
Low contribution in NSDF
Another interesting development that seems disturbing is the revised budget of National Sports Development Funds. Despite a budgetary estimate of `25 crore, it was revised to just `5 crore.
Since the government provides an amount equivalent to CSR contribution or donations, this indicates that NSDF did not attract CSR contributions or donations from public sector undertakings or private companies as projected in the budget estimate (BE).
In 2020-21 the BE was `50 crore and was revised to `7.23 crore.
According to the sports ministry, "NSDF was set up in 1998 with the main aim and objective of providing financial assistance to sportspersons to excel in their fields at the national and international level through specialised training..." This also funds assistance to elite athletes under Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), both core and development.