Budget 2024: Sporting arena upbeat after a year of record allocation and stunning feats

Undoubtedly, 2023 emerged as a pivotal year in the realm of Indian sports.

As the year of record budgetary allocation comes to a close, the sporting arena pins hopes on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to keep up the momentum in the upcoming Union Budget.

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has hailed Modi for tripling the sports budget over the past nine years of BJP rule that has seen India putting up the best-ever sports performance from the Tokyo Olympics to the Asian Games.

While addressing the Khelo India Youth Games inaugural ceremony in Bengaluru on December 23, Thakur lauded the Centre's magnified focus on boosting the nation's sports economy. "As the sports minister of India, I can proudly say that if you look at the two years from the Tokyo Olympics till now, we have won the highest medals in the Tokyo Olympics, Paralympics, Deaflympics, Commonwealth Games, and now in the Asian Games and Para-Asian Games. This is the best performance ever by Indians in the field of sports," he said.

A Year of Record Allotment

The Union Cabinet made the highest-ever budget allocation for the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports at Rs 3,397.32 crore for 2023-24, marking a significant 11 percent increase from the previous fiscal's Rs 3,062 crore. Back in 2004-05, the budget sood at Rs 466 crore. This was the highest budget allocation since the 2010 Commonwealth Games. It also surpassed the fiscal 2011-12 budget by more than three times and nearly doubles the fiscal 2014-15 budget, the ministry concerned noted.

The Department of Sports received Rs 2,462.59 crore in FY24 as against Rs 2,254 crore in the previous year, while the Department of Youth Affairs had a share of Rs 934.73 crore, up from Rs 808.60 crore over last year.

Specific allocations within the budget included Rs 1,045 crore for Khelo India, Rs 785.52 crore for the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Rs 325 crore each for National Sports Federations and the National Service Scheme, and Rs 15 crore for the National Sports Development Fund.

The iconic Khelo India witnessed a substantial increase of Rs 439 crore, constituting nearly one-third of the total allocation. The National Sports Federations received Rs 325 crore, marking a Rs 45 crore increment from the previous fiscal.

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) was allocated Rs 21.73 crore, and the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) received Rs 19.50 crore.

In response to the global pursuit of sporting excellence and increased focus on sports science and the scientific training of athletes, the budget for this fiscal also included a provision of Rs 13 crore for the National Centre of Sports Science and Research.

Following the announcement of the sports budget 2023-24, Thakur had highlighted PM Modi's commitment to revamping the sports ecosystem, leading to initiatives like the Khelo India Scheme, Fit India Movement, Target Olympic Podium, and Mission Olympic Cell. He had also emphasised the historic achievements in India's sporting history since 2014.

A Year of Sporting Glory

The year 2023 has emerged as a pivotal year in the realm of Indian sports. It saw stellar performances, a near-triumph fight in World Cup cricket, record-breaking achievements by stalwarts like Virat Kohli, dominance by figures like Neeraj Chopra, maturation of Indian athletics with a record medal tally at the Asian Games, and a flurry of qualifications for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.

There has been a revival in Indian shooting after the disappointing Tokyo Olympics, with a badminton duo ascending to the pinnacle of the sport through razor-sharp, high-energy displays, thrilling come-from-behind victories, and resounding successes in cricket, hockey, wrestling, and boxing. Additionally, the emergence of young, promising talent has underscored their rightful place at the highest echelons of competition.

With inputs from PTI and Press Council of India