1191 posts lying vacant in SAI, recruitment process initiated: Mansukh Mandaviya in Lok Sabha

New Delhi: Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday acknowledged that over 1,000 posts are currently lying vacant in the Sports Authority of India (SAI), a concern that was highlighted in a recent Parliamentary Standing Committee report which had described the body as "critically" under-funded and under-staffed.

The minister was responding to a question from Congress MP Adoor Prakash, who represents Kerala's Attingal constituency, in Lok Sabha.

Asked whether the government has noted the concerns raised by the Parliamentary Standing Committee over severe shortage of funds and staff in SAI, Mandaviya said, "The Government has taken note of the observations..."

"A total of 1,191 posts are lying vacant in the SAI. The recruitment process of certain posts has already been initiated," he added.

In its report in August, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on sports, headed by Congress' Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh, observed that about 45 per cent of sanctioned posts in the SAI are presently vacant.

"The fact that these shortfalls in staff are being managed through contractual appointment may at best be only an ad hoc arrangement," it had pointed out.

The Committee, which also includes cricketer and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh, and BJP MPs Sambit Patra and Bansuri Swaraj, among others, expressed "grave" concern over the shortage of staff and low funding of SAI.

The panel "heard the views" of Sports Secretary, and SAI representatives in its meeting held on June 6 this year.

It commended the recruitment drive to fill up these vacancies but asked the Sports Ministry to complete the process in the next six months and "furnish an Action Taken Report (ATR)."

In its annual budget this year, the government allocated Rs 3,794 crore to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Of this Rs 830 crore were earmarked for SAI.

"The budget allocation to SAI is based on the proposals submitted by them for the respective financial year. Any additional requirements that arise during the year are examined at the RE stage and, where appropriate, considered through supplementary grants," the minister stated in Lok Sabha.

Dealing with sexual harassment

To another question on whether the government has a consolidated record of sexual harassment complaints filed by sportspersons, the minister reiterated that no such dedicated database exists.

He, however, listed the measures that have been in place to "ensure a safe and positive environment".

"In order to provide a safe environment in sports, the SAI also runs a 24x7 helpline for the players," he said.

In addition, National Sports Federations have been told to mandatorily have women coaches in contingents that feature female athletes during camps and competition exposures. They have also been asked to increase the strength of women Coaches and Support Staff in camps.