Maken expects Natl Sports Bill to be passed in monsoon session

Ajay Maken said that the government has already introduced the Draft National Sports Development Bill in the Parliament.

New Delhi: Sports Minister Ajay Maken on Monday said that the government has already introduced the Draft National Sports Development Bill in the Parliament and he is expecting that it will be passed in the ongoing monsoon session itself.

Maken said the Bill once passed by the Parliament would bring in more accountability in the functioning of National Sports Federations (NSFs). "We need reforms in sports, which we hope the National Sports Bill will bring. Our idea was to introduce the Bill in the monsoon session and we have already done that. Now the inter-ministerial consultation is going on and once it is over, it will go to the Parliament for resolution," he said. "I am hopeful that the Parliament will be unanimous on this Bill. I am hopeful it (Bill) will be cleared in this session," Maken told reporters on the occasion of hockey legend Dhyan Chand`s 106th birth anniversary, regarded as National Sports Day in the country. "We need reforms in sports which this Bill will bring in. The Bill will bring in transparency in NSFs," he added. He said if passed by the Parliament the Bill would make it mandatory for NSFs to have 25 per cent reservation for sportspersons in their executive board. Terming Dhyan Chand as the brightest star of Indian sports, Maken said there was an urgent need to develop a sports culture in the country to produce many more champions like the hockey legend. "We have built world class infrastructure during the Commonwealth Games but only infrastructure can`t help. We need to encourage sports culture first as this will fetch us medals and not infrastructure alone," he said. "A country like Cuba has very limited infrastructure but still they are able to win medals more than us at the international stage and this is only because they have a vibrant sports culture," Maken said. Maken also said that his ministry was mulling on the setting up a National Institute of Sports Science in the country. "We also need to concentrate on sports science. So, we are thinking of establishing a National Insititute of Sports Science because nowadays scientific backing is essential to excel in sports. We have formed a committee under Sports Secretary (Sindhushree Khullar), which is expected to submit a report soon," he informed. On the occasion, the Jawaharlal Nehru Hockey Society honoured late Olympian Victor John Peter, who won a silver, gold and bronze for India in three Olympics -- 1960, 1964 and 1968 respectively. The society presented a cheque of Rs 5,61,701 to the former player`s wife Shanti Mary. JNHS president and member of Parliament, Arun Subhashchandra Yadav, also requested the Sports Minister to confer the Bharat Ratna to late Dhyanchand for his outstanding achivement. "Bharat Ratna should be conferred on Dhyan Chand because hockey has won the country more laureals than any other sports," he said. PTI