Sports development budget gets boost with Rs2 billion

ISLAMABAD: The sports infrastructure development budget got a boost in the proposed Federal Budget 2017-18 with a whopping amount of Rs2 billion under a new head-strengthening of sports infrastructure in the country.

The sports development budget for the coming fiscal year stands at Rs3,044.157 billion, including new projects of Rs2,380 billion.

Apart from the special budget set aside for the sports infrastructure development, five new ventures are on the cards, including replacement of seven artificial hockey turfs and installation of one new turf in Swat.

Construction of boxing gymnasium in Karachi and Quetta and construction of football stadium at Chaman are also on the cards. All these projects are inserted into the sports development programme and need approval from concerned competent forum.

The Rs2 billion earmarked for strengthening of sports infrastructure is set to be released in one chunk during the current fiscal year.

The government has earmarked Rs591.882 million for replacement of artificial hockey turfs at Islamabad, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Wah Cantt, Abbottabad and Jhelum. This year, the government is to release Rs200 million for the purpose. Another Rs160 million would be spent on the laying of a new turf in Swat. This year alone Rs55 million is expected to be released for the purpose.

Two boxing gymnasiums in Karachi and Quetta would cost the government Rs330 million. The federal government is to release Rs100 million for the purpose this year. Rs25 million -- the total cost of football stadium in Chaman is to be released during this fiscal year.

The government is to release Rs664.157 million for the ongoing four projects. This also includes sports complex in Narowal that would eat up around Rs3 billion. Another Rs495 million would be released this year for the mega project.

The biggest chunk of the proposed sports development infrastructure budget in recent years has gone to Minister of Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal’s home town (Narowal) sports complex project. The project is expected to eat up Rs2,498.779 million. The Narowal project would cost 60 percent of the total sports development project released in recent years.

The development budget also includes establishment of a bio-mechanical lab in Islamabad. The project will further cost Rs92 million this year. Holding of National Games (Rs92 million) and another Rs15 million would be released for the ongoing project of laying an artificial hockey turf in Gilgit.

A whopping amount of Rs3,044.157 million has been earmarked in the category of development budget, an increase of 260 percent for the coming physical year only.

The proposed non-development budget for the year 2016-17 also sees minimal increase. For the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), sports federations and inter-provincial division relating to sports, the government has set aside Rs997.514 million against Rs995.197 million earmarked last year. The proposed amount would be spent on payment of salaries to employees, grants to federations, paying pensions amount and on repair and maintenance of different sports infrastructure directly coming under the central government.

Though the Ministry of Sports has already been devolved with the provinces from 2010 onward, the prerogative still lies with the federal government to initiate mega sports infrastructure development projects and schemes in effort to spread sports facilities throughout the country.