India is winning more medals now as a result of the government’s proactive efforts: Anurag Thakur in the Lower House
In the Lok Sabha on Friday, Youth and Sports Affairs Minister Anurag Thakur stated that India has been winning more medals in sporting tournaments than ever before because of the government’s proactive approach and motivation provided by PM Narendra Modi’s interactions with sportspeople.
“Whether it is before or after a competition, sometimes even during one, PM Narendra Modi speaks to athletes in order to motivate them. India has won more tournaments and medals in sporting events as a result of this policy. The ministry’s budget was Rs 1,219 crore when we came to power in 2014. The amount has been increased to Rs 3,062 crore in 2022. Only during the Covid years did spending decline,” Thakur stated in response to a question regarding the promotion of sports in India in the Lok Sabha.
In his remarks, Thakur stated that the government is bringing about significant changes in the sports administration through the National Sports Development Code and other measures.
Our program aims to promote the role of sportspersons in associations. We can now see that women have a 50% voting right in sports organizations. Sports are a state subject, so states have to do their part to promote them. Sports associations have been criticized for their lack of transparency. We have taken every necessary step so that National Sports Code is implemented strictly,” Thakur said.
Regarding the issue of assistance to sportspersons, Thakur stated, “Earlier [before 2014], sportspersons received only Rs 86 crore in assistance in 16 years. During the past eight years, this amount has been increased to Rs 300 crore. We have also distributed Rs 158 crore to former champions in various ways.”
Over 27,000 players have participated in the Khelo India programme. Twelve national records were broken during these events, 11 of which were broken by women.
It is his belief that sports competitions organised by MPs in some parts of the country have been extremely successful, and he calls on all parliamentarians to organize similar events.
Regarding sports infrastructure, Thakur stated, “We are building 298 sports infrastructures in various parts of the country at a cost of Rs 2,736 crore. In the past, only Rs 600 crore had been spent. In rural areas, we have begun to open 1,000 Khelo India centers, of which 700 have been completed. Our inventory includes over 16,000 indoor stadiums, open fields, shooting ranges, athletic tracks, and hockey fields. There has been a long delay, and some states have not yet provided data.”
Thakur noted that in order to prevent doping controversies, the government has partnered with the National Forensic Science University to test nutritional supplements to ensure that sportspeople do not consume prohibited substances and are subsequently banned.
A BJP member and chairman of the Indian Wrestling Federation, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, suggested that wrestling should be declared the national sport since India does not have one.
There is a budget of Rs 10 lakh for Pakistan and a budget of Rs 19 crore for us. According to Singh, no other country offers as many facilities for wrestling as India, adding that two gold medalists from Japan have been appointed as clerks in the department.
The Olympic medalist and former sports minister Rajyavardhan Rathore requested Thakur to ensure that such infrastructure facilities, which are being funded exclusively by central government funds, are completed as soon as possible and that all sports vacancies are filled through a central agency.
In an earlier discussion, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury stated, “There is no shortage of sporting talent and potential in the country, but we perform poorly at the international level.”. Unfortunately, the government has failed to identify and exploit this potential. As a result, the budgetary allocation for sports is too small to achieve anything. The allocation for the Nehru Yuva Kendra has been reduced. Khelo India was launched with great enthusiasm, but actual expenditures have consistently decreased. “The allocated funds have not been spent.”
It has been raised by Ritesh Pandey of the BSP that funds are underutilized, there are a shortage of coaches, and talent is not properly utilized. The sports industry has become a den of corruption. We recommend the establishment of a high-level committee that examines how associations are promoting caste-based discrimination. According to him, scheduled castes and tribes possess a great deal of talent that needs to be harnessed.
Congress candidate Kodikunil Suresh emphasized water sports in Kerala. Kaushalendra Kumar of the JDU has called for the construction of stadiums in every panchayat, while Pushpendra Singh Chandel of the BJP has urged that schools without playgrounds be barred from receiving recognition.
