New Sports Minister stresses on transparency and accountability

New Delhi: New Sports Minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said that he would like to carry forward the "great work" done by his predecessor Ajay Maken and stressed on the need for transparency and accountability in the working of sport organisations.

"Ajay Maken has done a great job and my job is to carry forward what he has done," Jitendra Singh told the media after taking over as Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The new minister, however, made it clear that he would like to take the National Sports Federations (NSFs) on board when asked if he would be pushing for the implementation of the Sports Bill, which was drafted by Maken. "I don`t think it is necessary to fight with anyone. I would like to speak to all the associations and take everybody on board. But of course, the dominance should be on sportsmen and sports," insisted Jitendra Singh. "I always feel that in any job, may it be my ministry, may it be my job here, there should be transparency and there should be accountability. That is important everywhere...In government, in any organisation. But it will be premature for me to say anything right now. Let me have interaction with all the stake holders and try to take it forward," he added. Sports Bill, which was introduced by Maken, was aimed at bringing in transparency and accountability in all sports bodies wherein all the NSFs are expected to comply with the directives within a year. The Bill also sought to make elections compulsory every four years and also had age and tenure restrictions for sports administrators. Immediately after assuming charge, Jitendra Singh had a detailed meeting with the sports secretary and discussed various issues concerning the department. "Sports Ministry is very important in the government machinery. In our country where 50 per cent of the population is youth, this ministry has a huge responsibility in developing the nation", Jitendra Singh said. "I feel there is some sort of forward movement that this ministry can do. Being a youth, there is a lot of expectations from this ministry, this government and me," said the 41-year-old minister from Rajasthan. "For me what is most important, being a youth, is that this Ministry has tremendous outreach and can deliver a lot especially connecting the young people belonging to North-East, Jammu & Kashmir and Naxal affected areas," Jitendra, who himself is a national bronze medallist in trap shooting, said. Stating that he believed in action more than word, the former Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, said, "I would prefer to implement things and then come on camera and tell you that these are the problems I have solved." PTI