Khelo India gets 900 crore out of 3,442.32 crore in Union Budget for sports
New Delhi, Jul 23: Khelo India, which is the government's flagship project to promote sports at the grassroots level, was once again the biggest beneficiary in the union budget for the sports ministry as it was assigned Rs 900 crore from the overall allocation of Rs 3,442.32 crore on Tuesday.
Kehlo India's share, announced in the budget presented by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman here, is Rs 20 crore more than the revised allocation of Rs 880 crore during the previous financial year.
With the Olympic cycle set to come to an end in Paris in August this year, and the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games still two years away, the budget for the Sports Ministry has seen only a marginal increase of Rs 45.36 crore from the previous cycle.
The budget for the previous cycle was Rs 3,396.96 crore for the previous financial year.
The government has invested heavily in Khelo India over the years as the programme continues to unearth talent from all parts of the country.
While Khelo India's actual allocation in 2022-23 stood at Rs 596.39 crore, it was increased by more than Rs 400 crore, to Rs 1,000 crores, in the 2023-24 budget, before being revised to Rs 880 crore.
The government has continued to add programmes ever since the inaugural Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) were held in 2018.
The ministry added Khelo India University Games in 2020, before also launching the Khelo India Winter Games the same year and the Khelo India Para Games in 2023.
Hundreds of Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCE) have been set up across the country, which aim to provide facilities for athletes with potential. Several Khelo India athletes are currently in India's Olympic-bound contingent.
The government's assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs) has also seen an increase of Rs 15 crore -- from Rs 325 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 340 crore in the latest budget.
The budget for Sports Authority of India, which apart from maintaining its stadia across the country also manages the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) to prepare athletes for the global sporting extravaganzas, has also been enhanced from Rs 795.77 crore to Rs 822.60 crore, which is a jump of Rs 26.83 crore.
The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL), which does all the testing, have received marginal increase in their budgets.
While NADA's budget has gone up from Rs 21.73 crore last year to Rs 22.30 crore, NDTL has got Rs 22 crore, up from Rs 19.50 last year.
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Mamata visits Bhabanipur EVM strong room, warns against counting irregularities
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee early Friday warned against any attempt to tamper with the counting process, hours after she visited an EVM strong room in Bhabanipur, alleging possible malpractice.
Banerjee, who emerged around 12:07 am after spending nearly four hours at the counting centre for her Bhabanipur constituency housed in Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata, said only one person would be allowed inside the designated counting area.
"Either the candidate or one agent can stay upstairs. I have also suggested installation of a CCTV camera for the media," she told reporters.
Stressing the need for transparency, she said, "It is essential to maintain transparency. People’s votes must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints. The central forces initially did not allow me to enter."
Sounding a stern note ahead of the May 4 counting, she added, "If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated."
On Thursday evening, Banerjee had reached the Bhabanipur Assembly segment counting centre, which houses the strong room for EVMs used in the April 29 polling, citing suspicion of tampering with the machines.
She entered the premises along with her election agent and remained inside for hours, even as Kolkata Mayor and TMC candidate from the Kolkata Port segment Firhad Hakim reached the spot but could not meet her.
"I reached here upon learning that the chief minister has arrived. But I couldn’t meet her since she was already inside the premises, exercising her right as a candidate to visit strong rooms. I wasn’t allowed there. I will not be able to confirm what exactly is transpiring inside," Hakim said.
The development coincided with protests by TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in north Kolkata, where they staged a sit-in alleging irregularities and possible tampering of EVMs stored in strong rooms, leading to face-offs between TMC and BJP supporters.
Earlier in a video message, Banerjee had urged party leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil on EVM strong rooms, alleging that the BJP could attempt to tamper with the machines before counting begins.
Her remarks come amid heightened political tension in the state following a fiercely contested Assembly election, with parties closely monitoring arrangements and raising concerns over transparency.
