Economic survey and union budget 2023 has left Indian sport with far too many unanswered questions!
By the end of the year, we have the Asian Games lined up along with the Olympics 2024 and a national programme Khelo India to conduct annually. Sports was allocated just Rs. 2462.59 crores compared to last year’s 2254 crore.
Unfortunately, the increase is trivial – much less than the rate of inflation and that means lesser real money this time- and more importantly, there is no proper data on how the money was spent last year.
Even before we review budget 2023, we have to go through the economic survey for FY22-23. On the official site, the contents of the economic survey do not even mention ‘khelo India’. That raises questions about the relevance of the tiny hike given this year.
India’s finance minister presenting the union budget every 1st of February is nothing less than a festival for the citizens of the nation. This economic festival creates a continuous pattern of happiness and sorrow for the people from different sectors running India’s economy.
When India’s finance minister presents a budget every year on the 1st of February, the entire focus is on taxes and what a multitude of sectors face. Little attention is paid to the allocation for sport. Is sport not part of nation-building? Can we build a healthy nation which is not sporting? That’s why we need more focus and discussion on the money allocated to sports.
Khelo India was provided with a total amount of 974 crores in the previous year, and this year the amount provided is 1000 crores. Do you think an increment of 26 crore – not even 2 per cent – is enough to make a difference as claimed by Anurag Thakur, union minister of youth affairs and sports?
Compare this allocation to countries like the USA, China, and South Korea which rank top in the medal tally. They spend almost ten times what we spend on sport and that’s perhaps why they win ten times more medals!
So, if you want an answer to the questions like why Asha Roy, India’s fastest runner had to quit the track and sell vegetables for a living? OR why does Kamal Kumar Valmiki, a former state-level gold medalist in Boxing is a garbage collector? OR Why Nisha Rani Dutta, our Archery player has been forced to sell her archery bow for 50,000 rupees to save her house which collapsed in a deluge?
The answer is simple. We spend too little on our sports and sports men and women. It shows how much we care and big political statements don’t matter. Jaago Mohan pyaare jaago, it’s time to spend more on the sport.
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