No fund shortage for NSFs, revision option exists: Rijiju

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Wednesday that the National Sports Federations (NSFs) will not have to face shortage of funds despite the reduction in allocations for them for the fiscal 2020-21.

"If there are shortage of funds for the federations, these can always be taken up, that is why there is a provision for revision. If they need more money, they will get more money," Rijiju told reporters here.

In the 2020-21 Union Budget presented last week, a substantial hike of Rs 312.42 crore was allotted by the government for its flagship developmental programme Khelo India. This was, however, accompanied by reductions in allocations for NSFs, the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF), Sports Authority of India (SAI) and in incentives for sportspersons.

The amount alloted to NSFs for the next fiscal is Rs 245 crore, which Rs 55 crore less than the amount provided in 2019-20, making it the highest among all reductions.

A total of Rs 2,826.92 crore has been allocated for the sports budget overall, which is an increase of a mere Rs 50 crore in a year when India will be sending its athletes to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics.

Rijiju however said that when compared to the original allocation last year, instead of the revised budget, it is a "historic jump."

"You are looking from a different angle. Whatever we got in the last budget allocation, we had a jump of more than 50 per cent. What you are saying 50 crores, you are comparing from the Revised Estimate (RE), if you see the original allocation in last budget, it is a historical jump," he said.

"You have to see from the actual standpoint, then you will get the complete picture," he added.IANS