Punjab MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney Calls for Fair Funding in Khelo India Scheme
New Delhi [India], August 2: Vikramjit Singh Sahney, a Member of Parliament from Punjab, voiced his concerns over the unequal distribution of funds under the Khelo India Scheme. He highlighted the challenges faced by states like Punjab in nurturing athletic talent due to disproportionate funding.
In a recent session of the Rajya Sabha, Sahney pointed out that Punjab has made substantial contributions to India’s sporting landscape, with 19 athletes among the national contingent of 117, accounting for 16% of the country’s Olympic participants. Despite this, the state received only Rs 78 crore under the Khelo India Scheme, which constitutes a mere 3.5% of the total funding allocated. In stark contrast, other states, which have contributed only two athletes to the Paris Olympics, received a much higher allocation of Rs 438 crore.
Speaking in the House, Deputy Chairman Harivansh noted that Sahney demands the allocation of funds under the Khelo India Scheme in proportion to the players’ participation in international tournaments from the respective states.
Sahney congratulated Sarabjot Singh and Manu Bhaker for winning medals in shooting for India in the Paris Olympics 2024. He emphasized the importance of addressing funding disparities to nurture and promote sports excellence.
He stated, “In the ongoing Paris Olympics, states like Punjab have demonstrated remarkable commitment. Out of the 117 national contingents sent to Paris, Punjab has contributed 19 athletes and Haryana has contributed 24, representing 20% each of our Olympic participants.”
Sahney added, “Punjab has only been allocated 78 crore, which is 3.5% of the allocation. Many states received over 400 crores, this is stark in contrast with the state that is sending 19-20 athletes as compared to the other states that have been sending fewer athletes to the contingent.”
He emphasized the importance of providing adequate financial support to sports initiatives, particularly in regions where youth engagement in sports could serve as a crucial deterrent against social issues like drug abuse. “The youth are our demographic dividend. They should be engaged in pursuits like sports rather than falling prey to vices such as drugs. Only then can we achieve inclusive human development,” Sahney added, urging the government to rectify the disparities in funding to ensure a more equitable distribution of resources under the Khelo India Scheme.
Doubts Revealed
MP -: MP stands for Member of Parliament. They are people elected to represent the citizens in the government.
Vikramjit Singh Sahney -: Vikramjit Singh Sahney is a politician from Punjab who works in the Rajya Sabha, which is one of the two houses of India’s Parliament.
Rajya Sabha -: Rajya Sabha is the upper house of India’s Parliament where important discussions and decisions about the country are made.
Khelo India Scheme -: Khelo India Scheme is a program started by the Indian government to promote sports and fitness among young people in India.
Olympic team -: The Olympic team is a group of athletes who represent India in the Olympic Games, which is a big international sports event.
Rs 78 crore -: Rs 78 crore is a large amount of money in Indian currency, where ‘Rs’ stands for Rupees and ‘crore’ means ten million.
3.5% -: 3.5% is a small part of the total amount, meaning Punjab got only a tiny share of the total money given out.
drug abuse -: Drug abuse means using drugs in a harmful way, which can cause serious health and social problems.
