In a major boost to Sports Ministry ahead of Commonwealth Games and Asian Games this year, the government has allocated Rs 3,397.32 crore in the Union Budget on February 1. The amount is considerably more than the allocated amount of Rs 2,673.35 crore in financial year 2022-23. However, the sports budget was received and the actual allocation stood at Rs 3,062.60 crore.
A total of Rs 1,045 crore has been allocated to ministry's flagship programme, Khelo India -- National Programme for Development of Sports'. Previously, Rs 606 crore was allocated the government's ambitious programme which has been looked at as a tournament which will produce athletes for major events like Olympics, World Championships and others.
The Sports Authority of India's (SAI) budget has been increased by Rs 36.09 crore which will be used to organise national camps, providing infrastructure and equipments for athletes, appointment of coaches and others. The previous year’s revised expenditure was Rs 749.43 crore.
The National Sports Federations (NSFs) have received an increased allocation of Rs 45 crore, from previous year's revised budget of Rs 280 crore and will now get Rs 325 crore.
The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), affiliated to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL), which earlier received funding from SAI, will now get it directly.
A provision has been made in this year's budget to provide NADA a funding of Rs 21.73 crore, while NDTL, which conducts the tests, will receive Rs 19.50 crore.
With countries across the world striving for sporting excellence and paying more attention to sports science and scientific training of athletes, this year's budget has also made a provision of Rs 13 crore for National Centre of Sports Science and Research.
(With PTI inputs)