Sports Ministry seeks corporate funds under CSR

Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Tuesday urged the Indian business sector to spend a portion of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds for promotion of sports, including those for the disabled.

"India is making steady progress in multi-discipline sports competitions like Olympics, Commonwealth and Asian Games and have won many World Championships. If the corporate houses spend a portion of their CSR funds towards promotion of sports, India will surely emerge as the super power in sports in the world," Sonowal said at the Eastern India CSR Summit here.

Sonowal urged the industry to provide CSR support in setting up a Specialised Sports Academy for Differently Abled Sportspersons.

"The academy will be first of its kind in India and it is the bounden duty of the corporate houses to support such a noble cause. It will be in the fitness of things if one corporate house comes forward to take over the academy and run the same professionally," said the minister.

Sonowal said he has already requested the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to set up such an academy with technical support from his ministry.

"Even recognised sportpersons have so many grievances. We want someone to continuously come forward and help," he said.

He concluded that under CSR contribution of funds may be made towards National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) created for support to talented sportspersons in their training and competitions and also for the financial support to former Olympians in setting up academies.