Sporting opposition -- Uma

Sporting opposition -- Uma
EXRESS NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI, MARCH 3: Sports Minister Uma Bharati was ‘‘pleasantly surprised’’ with the support she got from all the Opposition parties, particularly the Congress(I), when they gave their green light in Parliament for inclusion of sport in the Concurrent List.

Addressing newsmen at the end of the Sports Ministers’ conference here today, the minister said that the proposal on a new sports policy has also been met with ‘‘adequate success’’ and is awaiting the Cabinet approval.

The conference, which discussed three ‘vital’ points code of conduct for federations, setting up of one academy in each state and the new sports policy were well received by all the ministers present, said the minister.

Though she feared there may be some divided opinion on the issue in the face of earlier resistance from from West Bengal and Kerala, she said, the ministers representing both states had given their consent without a murmur.

All the state ministers agreed to the strict application of code of conduct on federations so that they are made accountable with the stress on transparency. ‘‘Transparency in the functioning of federations is essential. To make them transparent in whatever they are doing, they have to be first made accountable for their commissions and omissions. Hence the introduction code of conduct has become inevitable,’’ she pointed out.

She also made a valid point on how the government was hard pressed in the absence of a code of conduct when the cricket match-fixing episode broke out.Talking on the proposed academies in the states, she said that each state has been asked to set up an academy with a view to train sportspersons excelling in a particular discipline in the state. ‘‘The idea is to impart complete training in a particular discipline rather than concentrating on more disciplines. This, apart from eliminating unnecessary expenditure, will also help unearth the right talent in that discipline,’’ she said.

Asked whether she felt happy on the budgetary allocation for her ministry, she said it was definitely ‘‘inadequate’’’ but was the best in the current financial situation of the country.

“No sports minister can be happy with the allocation. But I am happy every year the amount is going up. This year we have got approximately Rs. 25 crore more.’’She, however, refused to comment on the allocation of funds for the Afro-Asian Games saying that she will talk about it on another occasion.

‘SAI Director General’s office was raided’
To newsmen’s query on the CBI raid at former SAI director general’s place, she refused to elaborate except first saying that SAI was not raided. When this paper’s correspondent pointed out that he was an eye witness to the presence of CBI men at the Nehru Stadium, she confirmed that his office was also raided. Incidently, the director general’s office happens to be at the Nehru Stadium.