New Delhi: The Union Sports Ministry has committed to providing a grant-in-aid of Rs 2000 crore to the Gujarat Government for the conduct of the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad.
The grant has been listed in the revised norms of Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSF). Ahmedabad will be hosting the centenary edition of the Games after winning the bid last year, beating competition from Nigeria.
The ministry said that the current allocation is based on the 2025 rates and the grant is “expected” to be approximately Rs 2500 crore in 2030, “adjusted with the Consumer Price Index (a statistical estimate of retail inflation)”.
Foreign exposure through international training and competitions, conduct of Senior, Junior and Sub-Junior National Championships, Grassroots and junior athlete development and administrative and governance support to NSFs are also covered by this scheme.
The Ministry said the new guidelines align with India’s long-term sporting vision and preparations for the 2036 Olympic bid and the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad.
Graded Support For Global Competitions
“Now, financial support of up to Rs 50 crore can be provided to NSFs for hosting an international event, depending upon the nature and importance of the event, number of participating countries and athletes. Proposals of NSFs will be assessed by a designated Committee headed by Secretary (Sports),” stated a release from the Ministry.
The maximum of Rs 50 crore will go to disciplines in which India have medals or finished among top 10 at Olympic and World Championships featuring 50 countries and 500 athletes in individual events and more than 12 countries and 200 participants in team competitions.
The next slab is Rs 20 crore, for disciplines in which India have finished inside top 16 at the Olympics and World Championships featuring less than 50 countries in individual and less than 12 countries in team events.
A maximum of Rs 20 crore would be sanctioned for world championships of indigenous sports where the number of participating countries ends up being more than 50.
“The graded allocation is being done to ensure that quality competitions come to India. We don’t want sub-standard events in the name of international competitions,” a top Ministry official told PTI.
Asian Championships in India would be supported with a maximum of Rs 3 crore assistance depending on participants and India’s level at the Asian Games in the concerned discipline.
“The committee will decide its own methods and procedures for evaluating the requests from NSFs,” the Ministry said.
Support For National Games & Athlete Welfare
In addition, provision has been made in the revised scheme to provide assistance of up to Rs 50 crore for the conduct of National Games.
The funds would go towards sports equipment, Timing, Scoring and Result (TSR) services, remuneration to technical officials and technical conduct.
For athletes training abroad, the Ministry announced that USD 60 per day would be exempted from food bills that are required to be submitted at the end of the stint for reimbursement.
Future Of Athlete Training In India
Presently, training of the athletes preparing for mega-international sporting events, including Olympics, is done at National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs), academies and private sports facilities, as well as overseas.
“To provide specialised training of high standards, Olympic Training Centres (OTCs) equipped with the latest sports science equipment are being planned to be set up.
“…these centres will be dedicated to one sport, having the best modern training facilities and experts, which will reduce the reliance on overseas training of Indian athletes,” the release stated, reiterating a commitment that Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has already made previously.
