All India Council of Sports on Friday urged the Union Government to hike the  sports budget to Rs 6,500 crore to prepare contingents for the Commonwealth and Asian Games and for the launch of ‘Pradhan Mantri Khel Vikas Yojana’ which envisages setting up Òne Million Sports Club in seven lakh villages, urban areas, schools, colleges and universities.

Addressing the 8th meeting of the AICS, its chairman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said the previous year’s sports budget allocation was Rs.1393.21 crores. This year need much more money keeping in view of the international competitions, Prime Minister’s ambitious plan to promote sports at grass-root level and to began preparations for 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games

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He said he has already written a letter in this regard to the finance minister “AICS will soon send a detailed report justifying the demand to enhance the sports budget.”

Prof Malhotra advised the National Sports Federations (NSF) to place all officials including Support Staff with the National Coaching Camps well in advance so that the sportspersons are tuned with them to draws maximum benefit for enhancement of their performance.

“Just over two months are left for the Commonwealth Games, all are required to work in unison and enhance the medal tally for India,” he added.

He pointed out that many former players who had brought glory to the country are suffering for want of proper medical care. “I had requested the Union Minister for Health to extend CGHS facilities to sportspersons, but the ministry regretted the inability to extend CGHS facilities because of limited resources. I hope that Healthy Ministry will have a relook and will formulate a scheme in this regard, he said, adding that he has requested the Army Medical Services, Ministry of AYUSH, Trauma Management Centre, Safdarjung Hospital and other experts in the field of sports medicine & sports science to work out a proper mechanism to provide medical support not only for the sportspersons of yesteryears but also for the current sportspersons.

Prof. Malhotra pointed that Sports Authority of India has its Sports Training Centres in remote areas like Leh (Ladakh), Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar Island and it is Army who always comes forward to provide medical support and evacuation in case of emergency.

He also informed the members that since Army have raised its Army Boys Sports Company and on his request to the Union Home Minister, the Para Military Forces are considering raising their Boys Sports Company under CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF etc.

Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Singh, who is also member of the AICS, wanted that state governments should allow the participants of National championships to apply for job under sports quota.