The Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry has moved the Cabinet note on the revised Sports Development Bill for inter-ministerial consultations. The Bill seeks to bring about accountability and transparency in the administering of sports.
Dissent note
The Bill, which has drawn support from various quarters including eminent sportspersons and members of the civil society, is aimed at bringing about efficiency and transparency in the working of the national sports federations and seeks to bring them under the purview of the Right to Information (RTI).
The Bill has already drawn sharp criticism from the Indian Olympic Association and the Board of Control for Cricket in India, which strongly oppose bringing them under the RTI purview. “The Cabinet note seeks views of the various Ministries on the revised draft that has been moved according to the directions of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,” a senior official said. The Prime Minister had asked Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Ajay Maken to amend the original legislation and bring it before the Union Cabinet.
The Sports Minister is determined that the time has come for a change in the way sports and games are administered and is of the firm view that if India has to emerge stronger on the global sports map, this legislation is a very important step.
After the process for seeking views of the various Ministries is completed, the legislation would be posted before the Cabinet for approval. Mr. Maken has already expressed his desire to introduce the Bill in the winter session of Parliament that began on November 22.
The Bill seeks to provide 25 per cent reservation for sportspersons in the national federations and also fix the age and tenure limitations.