Administrators’ Advisory Council missing deadlines?

Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 1

Awaiting cash awards since 2015, local sportsperson were once again given assurance of getting their dues, this time by the Administrators’ Advisory Council Sports Committee.

The committee, which met recently, made some changes in the sub-committee to follow the process. However, the same committee had announced that it would solve the problem within 30 days on July 24 last year. A communication issued back then claimed: “Discussed about pending scholarship/cash awards to be paid to the players, which have been pending for the past three years and told officials of the Sports Department to clear the same within 30 days.”

Sports policy

At the recent meeting, the Administrators’ Advisory Council Sports Committee ensured that Chandigarh’s sports policy will be ready by May 30. However, a draft policy for the same was submitted in April 2, 2016, by the former Joint Director, Sports, KS Bharti.

“As per Ministry of Sports, suggestions must be taken from eminent sports personalities. While submitting the draft policy, we had included Arjuna Awardee and other eminent sports personalities for their suggestions. While finalising the policy, eminent sportspersons should be included. I don’t know about its current status,” said Bharti.

A press note issued in July said: “The UT Administration was in the process of drafting a sports policy, hence open suggestions should be taken from residents, eminent sports personalities, associations, schools, etc, by giving advertisements in newspapers, and the policy should be made within a particular time frame of not more than three months.”

At the latest meeting, Director Sports Tejdeep Singh Saini said apart from Haryana and Punjab, the sports policy of Delhi had been reviewed and the services of sports experts of Panjab University had also been taken. It will be ready by the end of May. Cash awards in sports policy, reservation in government jobs and coaching, etc, will be focused so that players of Chandigarh do not migrate to other states.

“The Covid pandemic may have delayed the process. Online meetings and regular interactions would have been the best way to deal with it. Nevertheless, we are hopeful of getting some kind of updates since the limited public gatherings have been started,” said a source.