The allocation of funds in state budgets for sports development has been a topic of debate. Recently, there has been a surge in the allocation of funds for infrastructure development in sports, but the funds for player development have been stagnant. This paradox has led to a shortage of skilled players in various sports.
The state governments need to reconsider their budget allocation to ensure that both infrastructure and player development receive adequate funds. For instance, the recent state budget of Maharashtra allocated 500 crores for sports infrastructure, but only 50 crores for player development. This imbalance needs to be addressed to promote sports in the state. The sports department should prioritize player development and allocate a significant portion of the budget for training and development programs.
Only then can we expect to see a significant improvement in the performance of our players at the national and international levels.