The Sports Ministry has amended the National Sports Governance Bill. According to this new amendment, now only those sports organizations have been brought under its purview, which receive government grants and assistance. Even after this amendment, BCCI will still not come under the purview of RTI. This is because no grant is taken from the Sports Ministry from BCCI. Apart from BCCI, whatever sports federation that will not take government grants, they will be outside the purview of RTI.
The Sports Ministry has amended the provision of RTI of the National Sports Administration Bill, under which only those institutions have been kept under its purview which depend on government grants and assistance. This has brought a lot of relief to the BCCI.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandavia made this bill in the Lok Sabha on 23 July, in which provision 15 (2) states that a recognized sports organization will be considered a public authority under this Act in relation to the use of its actions, duties and powers under the Act (RTI) Act, 2005.
BCCI always protested
RTI has been a complicated issue for BCCI, which has consistently opposed it under the board as the board does not depend on government aid unlike other National Sports Federations (NSF). These apprehensions came to an end by amending the bill.
Definition made clear from the bill
The amended provision defines the public authority as an institution that depends on government money or aid. With this amendment, there has been a clear definition of public authority. The source said, if this was not done, it would have been an unclear area due to which the bill could have been stuck or it could have been challenged in court. Therefore, anything related to public money will come under the purview of RTI.
He further said, even if the National Federation is not taking government assistance, even if there is any government assistance in organizing or operation of its tournaments, then it can be questioned. Government assistance is not only in the context of money but also in the context of infrastructure.
What will happen after the law is enacted?
BCCI will have to register themselves as NSF after the bill is enacted. Because Cricket is going to make a debut in the T20 format at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. In the exercise of bringing accountability, the bill also provides for the National Sports Board (NSB) and all NSF will have to get recognition from the central government to get financial assistance.
There will be a chairman in NSB and its members will be appointed by the Central Government. These appointments will be based on the recommendations of the Research cum Selection Committee. The committee will be headed by the Cabinet Secretary or Sports Secretary and will have two sports administrators of the Sports Authority of India who have been the Chairman, General Secretary or Treasurer in an NSF. There will be a player who receives Dronacharya, Khel Ratna or Arjuna Award.
