Setback For Indian Sports? Ministry’s Budget May Be Slashed By 25 Per Cent Due To Low Spending, Claims Report

The budget allocation for Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is set to reduce by one-fourth for the current financial year, reports the Times of India. The Finance Ministry has proposed the slash due to low spending during the first half of the fiscal year.

As per the report, the sports department can receive a budget cut of about Rs 350 crore, and youth affairs will see a reduction of Rs 139 crore. As a result, the ministry will see a total reduction of Rs 489 crore against the allocation of Rs 2,196 crore.

The data from Controller General of Accounts show the Ministry has spent Rs 595 crore, 27 per cent of the allocation between April and September. As opposed, the Ministry had used 47 per cent of the funds allocated to it at the same point in 2017-18. The capital expenditure until September 2018, was about Rs 20 lakh.

The report claims that the documents it examined show a reduction of Rs 25 Crore, from Rs 429.56 crore to Rs 404.56 crore in SAI’s budget and cut of Rs 72.06 crore from Rs 342 crore to Rs 269.94 crore to the assistance budget to NSF. India’s latest scholarship scheme, Khelo India will see a massive loss with a proposed cut of Rs 220 crore.

The sports ministry is reportedly in the process of requesting the Finance Ministry to reconsider, calling the cut a hindrance in preparation of India’s athletes for the National and International event. The department also believes the reduction in budget adversely affects SAI and NSF’s ability to fund their athletes.