Govt to help in continuing Beighton Cup tournament: Maken

Ajay Maken has said that the government would sanction Rs 5 lakh from next year for the conduct of Beighton Cup Hockey tournament.

Kolkata: Sports Minister Ajay Maken on Friday said that the government would sanction Rs 5 lakh from next year for the conduct of 116 year-old Beighton Cup Hockey tournament, which has lost its glory over the years.

Maken, who was accompanied by West Bengal Sports Minister Madan Mitra, said they would work jointly to bring a Pakistani team next year to revive the historical hockey tournament. Here for the Beighton Cup final, he said, "It`s such an old tournament ... We must ensure a smooth conduct of the tournament." Referring to the lack of a water source at the artificial turf at SAI here, he assured that provision for a borewell would be made for the purpose. He reiterated his stand on National Sports Development Bill and said the idea was to bring transparency among the National Sports Federations by application of Right to Information Act. "There is no reason why BCCI should not accept RTI. Once it becomes a law, all sports federations including BCCI will have to follow it.” "The 25 per cent quota for the sportspersons in the administration will only help the respective federations. I am hopeful the revised Bill will be cleared by the Cabinet and after that passed by the Parliament," he said. Maken earlier inaugurated a synthetic track at the SAI Eastern Center and hoped that it would help the budding athletes of the region. He also visited the proposed venue of the artificial turf for Bengal Hockey Association at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan and said the government would cooperate with the state in this regard. Mitra said the work at the venue would be expedited and hoped that the 117th edition of the tournament would be held at the new venue. "We are hoping to get it done by next year. We are planning to bring a Pakistani team to play in the Beighton Cup to inaugurate the ground," Mitra said. BHA secretary Gurbux Singh said getting a foreign team had become difficult. "Earlier City Club of Lahore had participated in the Beighton Cup. But it has become difficult to get a Pakistani team to play now, especially after the Mumbai terror attacks." Three clearances -- from Sports, Home and External Affairs ministries -- were required to get the visa. Centre`s help would clear the way," he added. PTI