New Delhi, Aug. 29 -- West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Saturday that the state government had initiated administrative and internal processes to explore ways of refunding around 33,000 sports enthusiasts who were allegedly cheated after purchasing tickets to watch Lionel Messi in Kolkata.
Speaking on the birth anniversary of hockey legend Dhyan Chand, observed as National Sports Day, Adhikari also announced a special budgetary allocation of Rs 400 crore for sports and a plan to build 100 mini indoor stadiums in the first phase of a wider programme aimed at overhauling sports infrastructure across the state.
Expressing anger over the alleged ticket scam surrounding the Messi match, Adhikari said young fans, including Zomato delivery workers, had spent their hard-earned savings on tickets priced at Rs 4,000, Rs 6,000 and even Rs 8,000.
"The government is holding intensive internal discussions and examining the legal process to determine how the money lost by these 33,000 sports lovers can be refunded," he said, expressing hope that the state would succeed in recovering and returning the money.
Referring to several accomplished sportspersons present at the event, Adhikari alleged that files relating to their appointments had remained pending in the chief minister's office since 2015 under the previous government.
He said Bengal had fallen behind in several major sporting arenas despite possessing talented athletes.
"Bengal is virtually absent today from the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and national football. Even states such as Odisha and Jharkhand are sending representatives, while Bengal has fallen behind despite having talent and dedication because of a lack of motivation, support and proper infrastructure," he said.
Adhikari also criticised what he described as excessive political control over sports bodies. While sportspersons were free to enter politics - he cited former athletes Jyotirmoyee Sikdar and Bula Choudhury, who went on to become legislators - sports organisations should not, he argued, be controlled solely on the basis of political identity by people with no direct involvement in sports.
He reiterated that his government intended to bring about a permanent change in the system rather than merely replacing faces or flags.
Adhikari said Rs 400 crore had been earmarked for the sports department in the government's eight-month budget and announced a series of measures.
The government plans to build modern mini indoor stadiums equipped with facilities for table tennis, badminton and gyms across all 294 assembly constituencies. The target for this year has been fixed at 100 stadiums.
As many as 145 accomplished sportspersons were felicitated, and cheques worth a total of Rs 4.31 crore were distributed. The programme was inaugurated by veteran Olympian Gurbux Singh.
The Chief Minister said the government would move away from a system focused only on announcing large cash rewards after athletes win medals. Instead, athletes who qualify for national and international competitions would receive financial support from an earlier stage of their careers.
"The government is also considering the introduction of a sports quota in the police and other government disciplined services," he said.
Following discussions with Union Sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya on International Yoga Day, Adhikari said state Youth Services and Sports minister Dr Indranil Khan and secretary Avanindra Singh would travel to Delhi on Monday to pursue funds under the Khelo India programme.
While the state had initially received an assurance of Rs 100 crore, Adhikari said he had instructed the officials to carry an elaborate DPR to seek greater assistance.
"If necessary, I will take responsibility for bringing Rs 1,000 crore from Delhi by submitting DPRs," he said.
Before concluding his speech, Adhikari promised to visit the major clubs of the Maidan and struck a lighter note on Bengal's enduring football rivalry.
"We will move forward with everyone because there are supporters of both sides in my family. I am a Mohun Bagan supporter, while my mother is an East Bengal supporter," he said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.