Know About the Hurdles and Reform Measures of Sports in India

Corruption has become synonymous with sports administration in India. Whether it is cricket, hockey or the most popular weightlifting, most of India's sports authorities have been attacked on corruption charges.
Recently, in a series of tweets, the Union Sports Minister, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, proposed an idea that seeks to remove the word "Authority" from the Sports Authority of India (EFS) as the word lost relevance on stage modern sports In addition, the minister expressed concern about the serious situation of sports icons that struggle to meet their basic needs. The minister's comment on the current situation of sports led to a debate on ways to improve the sports ecosystem in the country. Against this backdrop, it is pertinent to understand the factors that adversely affect sports in India and the measures taken by the government to rectify the situation.
The reasons behind the underdevelopment of sports in India are:
1. Corruption and mismanagement of sports authorities: Corruption has become synonymous with sports administration in India. Whether it is cricket, hockey or the most popular weightlifting, most of India's sports authorities have been attacked on corruption charges. In addition, the participation of politicians in the administration of sports bodies over a very long period and the controversies surrounding the 2010 Commonwealth Games affected the image of sports administrators in India.
2. Social and economic inequalities: Social and economic inequalities have a negative impact on Indian sports. The denial of access to sports infrastructure due to poverty, the concentration of stadiums and other sports only in cities, the lack of encouragement for girls to participate in sports, etc., has impeded the development of a positive sports culture in the country.
3. Lack of infrastructure: This is one of the most important factors for the apathy of sport in India. Given that infrastructure is necessary to train and organize games, its lack of availability and its access to only some sectors of society have negatively affected sports participation and the quality of athletes.
4. Lack of policies: For the development of any sector, the formulation and execution of an effective policy is a sine qua non condition. This is true for sports too. To date, the planning and implementation of sports policy is centralized in the country due to the scarcity of resources and the experience of state and local governments. In addition, the absence of a separate ministry of sports at the union level reflects apathy towards sports.
5. Scarce allocation of resources: In comparison with other developed and developing countries, the allocation of financial resources is scarce in India. In the 2017-18 Union budgets, millions of rupees of 1943 allocated to sports. While it is Rs 450 crore higher than the previous year, it is far lower than the approximately Rs 9000 million years spent annually by the United Kingdom for the sports sector.
By: Preeti Narula
Content: https://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/sports-in-india-problems-and-reform-measures-1508848667-1