The Ministry of Sports on Monday got a marginal hike of Rs 50.87 crore in the budget for 2016-17 in the Parliament. This year, the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley while presenting the budget of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government stepped up allocations for sports affairs by a small margin.
While last year the total allocated budget was Rs 1541.13 crore, this year the total figure stands at Rs 1592 crore.
Let's compare #Budget2016 with last year:
| Allocated Budget | 2015 (Cr) | 2016 (Cr) |
| Scheme for the Benefit of North Eastern Area | 151.23 | 144.98 |
| Organising national camps | 369.39 | 381.30 |
| Assistance to sports institutions | 545.90 | 545.90 |
| Anti-doping activities | 12 | 12 |
Will the allocation of Rs 1592 crore translate to actual spending on sports?
Although the budget has been allocated with clear purposes, there is no clear direction where the ministry wants to focus the fund for a improved show by the Indian athletes at the international stage. It's difficult to analyse whether the Central Government or the Sports Associations are at fault for such an ‘unsatisfactory’ budget.
Year after year, we see hundred of crores allocated to other sectors, but the federations receive hardly the amount required to conduct a sports event. That is why perhaps the sportspersons pursuing lesser-followed sports are not befitting even though allocations and expenditure are increasing every year.
Let's hope the major chunk of the budget allocated are directed towards sports activity on a wider scale and for the betterment of Indian sports.
