Sports Budget 2009: Sports Ministry May Need More For 2010 CommonWealth Games

Sports Minister M S Gill has a reason to be cheerful after the Union Budget as he now sees his Ministry richer by Rs 3073 crore.

But the question is that how much of this amount will be actually spent on sports activity.

• Rs 2264 crore is earmarked just for the Commonwealth Games

• Rs 271 crore goes to youth affairs

• Youth and sports schemes in the Northeast are worth about Rs 95 crore

So, the actual money for sports works out to something near Rs 440 crore from which Rs 176 crore will go to the Sports Authority of India. Finally, what is left is Rs 264 crore.

The Government at the moment is not looking beyond the Commonwealth Games but what about other multi-discipline games. The Asian Games which are far more prestigious will be held a month after the Delhi Games and they seem to be low on the priority list.

“Even for training for the Asian Games money should come,” says President Indian Olympic Association Suresh Kalmadi.