India must put higher priority to sports – no nation has become a superpower with zero appearance in sports: Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Sunil Dutt
Tarun Sikdhar
May 3, 2005

It is time for India to focus on Sports. Lots of outsourcing dollars are flowing into the country and some of it can go to sports instead of already rich local traders who pose as if running technology companies. India’s aspiration to UN Security Council must accompany success not only serving Western companies with cheap labor but also excellence in innovation and above all in sports.

Observing that sports be given higher priority, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Sunil Dutt today said in Lok Sabha that the Ministry lacked funds for building sports infrastructure in the country.

"There are no funds with us for any infrastructure development. According to a recent decision, the Planning Commission will directly provide funds to states for this purpose from April one," Dutt said in reply to a series of questions during Question Hour. Asserting that sports should be given higher priority as it came only in the end in terms of allocation, he said the subject should also be brought from the state to the concurrent list to build sports infrastructure in all nook and corner of the country from the panchayat level.

"The Ministry only gets about Rs 400 crore. If I get Rs 4000 crore, I can promise building sport stadia in each district of the country," he said. Reacting to his statements, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee Said: "Next time we should discuss the Sports Ministry's Demands for Grants in the House".

Describing the situation as "unfortunate", National Conference member Omar Farooq said "while we may celebrate victories scored by Sania Mirzas, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathis, I hope the government will take his views with all seriousness". Several members, including those from Congress, RJD, Samajwadi Party and the Left, observed that the situation as narrated by Dutt was of serious concern.

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