Sports Budget 2023: Biggest ever allocation for sports sector in India’s history

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday unveiled the Union Budget for the fiscal year 2023-24. In the budget, the sports sector received its biggest-ever allocation as it saw a whopping increase of over 723.97 crores from the previous financial year. The Finance Ministry has allocated Rs 3397.32 crore for the sports sector, which has come as a big boost ahead of this year's Asian Games and the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has received a hike of Rs 132.52 crore from last year as the apex body had witnessed a Rs 7.41 crore budget cut in 2022-23. SAI has received funding of Rs 785.52 crore in this year's sports budget. Meanwhile, Khelo India has got the highest allocation in this year's sports budget with Rs 1045 crore to its name. The rest have been kept for the National Sports Federation (Rs 325 crore), National Service Scheme (Rs 325 crore), and National Sports Development Fund (Rs 15 crore). Sports Budget 2023-24 Khelo India: Rs 1045 crore SAI: 785.52 crore National Sports Federations: 325 crore National Service Scheme: 325 crore National Sports Development Fund: Rs 15 crore The amount is more than the revised budget of the previous financial year (2022-23) when the ministry received Rs 2,673.35 crore, as against the actual allocation of Rs 3,062.60 crore. One of the reasons for the reduced revised allocation for 2022-23 could be the postponement of the Hangzhou Asian Games, which will be held this year. The ministry's flagship programme, 'Khelo India -- National Programme for Development of Sports' continues to be the government's priority, with it being allotted Rs 1,045 crore as against the revised allocation of Rs 606 crore during the previous financial year. This is an increase of Rs 439 crore and points to the government's commitment to the programme, which over the years, has shown the potential to produce athletes for major global events such as the Olympics, Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games. The Sports Authority of India (SAI), which takes care of organising national camps for athletes, providing infrastructure and equipment to athletes, appointment of coaches and maintaining sports infrastructure, among others, has seen a Rs 36.09 crore increase in its budgetary allocation from the previous year's revised expenditure of Rs 749.43 crore. Their allocation for 2023-24 stands at Rs 785.52 crore. The National Sports Federations (NSFs) have received an increased allocation of Rs 45 crore, from previous year's revised budget of Rs 280 crore and will now get Rs 325 crore. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), affiliated to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL), which earlier received funding from SAI, will now get it directly. A provision has been made in this year's budget to provide NADA a funding of Rs 21.73 crore, while NDTL, which conducts the tests, will receive Rs 19.50 crore. With countries across the world striving for sporting excellence and paying more attention to sports science and scientific training of athletes, this year's budget has also made a provision of Rs 13 crore for National Centre of Sports Science and Research. (with PTI inputs) Image: PTI

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Sports Budget 2023: Biggest ever allocation for sports sector in India’s history

In 2022-23, the Finance Ministry allocated Rs 3062.60 crore for the sports sector, which was an increase of nearly Rs 300 crore from the previous fiscal year.

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