Lucknow
Despite spending billions of rupees on sports in the state, India’s Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has raised serious questions on the performance of players and the use of sports facilities. The report submitted in the Assembly on Tuesday exposed several flaws on the preparations, resources and policies of the Sports Department based on data from 2016 to 2022. According to the report, the state’s performance in the National Games has fallen. While UP players won 77 medals in 2007, in 2022 the number decreased to 56. The biggest case is of Saifai International Cricket Stadium, which was prepared at a cost of Rs 347.05 crore in June 2020. There was no national or international cricket match here for two years of construction.
No contracts were made with the BCCI. The ground was being used only by college players, while facilities like viewers’ gallery, media centers, TV production rooms and lift were useless. The CAG called it a waste of resources. Similarly, the international swimming pool at Major Dhyanchand Sports College, Saifai at a cost of 207.96 crores was not operational despite modern facilities.
The work area was repeatedly changed during the construction of Velodrome Stadium at Guru Govind Singh Sports College in Lucknow, but the government did not give any concrete answer. The report found that out of 13 regional sports officials, Agra, Ayodhya, Azamgarh, Banda, Bareilly, Lucknow, Jhansi, Meerut, Prayagraj and Sitapur did not prepare the property register. No evidence of physical verification was found.
In 37 districts, nine swims were closed due to the deployment of life saving and lack of maintenance. 26 to 46 percent of the seats in sports colleges remained vacant, while 33 to 38 percent of the trainers were shortened in training camps. There was also a huge shortage of women instructors. The CAG has suggested that a detailed survey and need should be assessed before the construction of sports structures. Vacant posts of instructors should be filled immediately.
Grievance redressal mechanisms were formed to resolve the complaints of the players. Coordination between sports department and sports associations should be improved. The report has made it clear that before spending money in sports, the plan and need were not paid attention, due to which even the big projects are not working for the players.
