Budget 2021: Rs 2596.14 crore allocated to Sports Ministry

New Delhi [India], February 1 (ANI): The government has allocated Rs 2596.14 crore to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for the FY 2021-22, a reduction of Rs 230.78 crore when compared to the amount earmarked initially for the previous year.
In the FY 2020-2021, Rs. 1800.15 crore were allocated to the Ministry.
For Khelo India-National Programme for Development of Sports, Rs. 737.71 crore have been allocated. Under this, Rs. 657.71 crore have been allocated for ‘Khelo India’ while Rs. 50 crore and Rs. 30 crore have been allocated for ‘Enhancement of Sports Facility at J&K’ and ‘Commonwealth Games’ respectively. Also, the government has allocated Rs. 660.41 crore to the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
Commenting on the budget, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju tweeted: “The Budget 2021-22 presented by Finance Minister @nsitharaman Ji has proven that under the visionary leadership of PM @narendramodi Ji, the massive pandemic crisis has been effectively converted into huge opportunity. #NewIndia is becoming a completely #AatmaNirbharBharat.”
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, earlier in the day, presented the first-ever digital Union budget. She announced higher capital expenditure for the FY 2021-22 and focused on providing a major boost to healthcare and infrastructure building.
In her Budget speech, Sitharaman mentioned that this year’s budget focused on six pillars- Health and Wellbeing, Physical and Financial Capital, and Infrastructure, Inclusive Development for Aspirational India, Reinvigorating Human Capital, Innovation and R&D and minimum government and maximum governance.
The Minister stated that India’s fight against COVID-19 continues into 2021 and that this moment in history, when the political, economic, and strategic relations in the post-COVID world are changing, is the dawn of a new era – one in which India is well-poised to truly be the land of promise and hope. (ANI)