Union Ministers lay foundation stone for Rs 14-cr indoor sports complex in Karnataka's Mandya
Mandya (Karnataka) (PTI): Union Ministers Mansukh Mandaviya and H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday laid the foundation stone for a Rs 14-crore multi-purpose indoor sports complex sanctioned for Mandya under the Centre's Khelo India scheme.
The new facility is coming up within the campus of the University of Agricultural Sciences at VC Farm in Mandya.
After taking part in the bhoomi pooja for the indoor stadium, the ministers were welcomed with a massive garland made of jaggery, a specialty of Mandya.
Kumaraswamy explained to Mandaviya the significance and reputation of Mandya's jaggery, which is widely known for its quality.
According to an official statement, while laying the foundation stone, the two ministers called upon the youth of the district to strengthen sports culture in Mandya in line with the slogan 'Khelo India! Vibrant Mandya!', and to produce more champions from the region.
Addressing the gathering, Union Sports Minister Mandaviya said that the 'Khelo India initiative' is a national programme launched by the Centre to revive sports culture at the grassroots level and transform India into a leading sporting nation.
He said that the establishment of this well-equipped sports complex in Mandya had been made possible through the efforts of his Cabinet colleague and NDA leader Kumaraswamy.
Addressing Union Heavy Industries and Steel Minister Kumaraswamy, Mandaviya said that the affection shown by the people reflects the work he has done for them.
He also appreciated Kumaraswamy's compassion and commitment toward persons with disabilities.
Mandaviya said that he had personally witnessed Kumaraswamy's concern for the specially-abled and described the initiative of distributing electric vehicles as highly commendable.
He noted that such efforts not only help persons with disabilities in their daily lives but also contribute positively to environmental protection.
Mandaviya further said that Mandya has produced several sportspersons who have brought recognition not only to the state but also to the country at national and international levels.
He recalled athletes such as Vikas Gowda and K P Shilpa, who had enhanced the reputation of Mandya.
In particular, he highlighted wheelchair tennis player Shilpa, who is currently India's number-one player and has been bringing glory to the country both nationally and internationally.
Expressing hope, he said that many more talented sportspersons should emerge from Mandya in the coming years.
The union minister also stated that the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worked extensively over the past eleven years to strengthen the sports ecosystem in India.
In the latest Union Budget, Rs 4,000 crore has been allocated to strengthen sports infrastructure, compared to Rs 1,200 crore a decade ago, effectively increasing the allocation more than threefold.
Following the programme, electric vehicles were distributed to 388 persons with disabilities.
The vehicles were provided under the CSR initiatives of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), Kumarswamy's office said in the statement.
Additionally, 500 desktops and 100 laptops donated by Infosys were handed over to government schools. A state-of-the-art ambulance donated under the CSR initiative of the Hinduja Group was also presented to the Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS), it said.
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
