New Delhi: The second meeting of All India Council of Sports held on 19th April 2016 in the Conference Hall of Sports Authority of India. Prof. Vijay Kumar Malhotra, President, AICS welcomed the members and special invitees. Prof. Vijay Kumar Malhotra, President, AICS and all present congratulated profusely Miss Dipa Karmakar who became the first Indian Gymnast to qualify for the Olympic Games. Members further applauded her brilliant performance in the Test Event at Rio where she won Gold in Vault Event.
President, AICS and members present appreciated the support being provided by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and Sports Authority of India in preparation of the Indian Contingent for the Rio Olympics.
Shri Injeti Srinivas, Director General, SAI gave detailed report on the preparation of the Indian Contingent for Rio Olympic Games. Altogether 75 sportspersons in 8 disciplines have qualified for the Rio Olympic Games. DG SAI mentioned that many more are likely to qualify and the total number may reach upto 110.
Shri Rajeev Yadav, Secretary, Sports mentioned that International Olympic Committee has been successfully persuaded to provide Indian Cuisine in the Games Village for the first time.
President, AICS mentioned that Indian Women Hockey Team has qualified for the Olympics after a gap of 35 years as the last appearance of Indian Women Hockey Team in the Olympics was in 1980 at Moscow.
The following issues were discussed and decisions taken:
1. Members expressed their disappointment over the Sports Budget allocated this year and requested President, AICS to take up with Finance Minister for enhancement of budgetary allocation for Sports. A delegation of AICS Members should accompany the President, AICS to meet the Finance Minister.
2. Members hoped that President, AICS would be able to impress upon the Union Minister for Corporate Affairs to amend the Schedule VII of Indian Companies Act 2013 so as to allow the Companies to spend CSR Funds for the holistic development of sports instead of only for training.
3. It was suggested by all members present to request HRD Ministry to set aside at least 5% of Education Cess for promotion of sports.
4. Members appealed to President, AICS take up with DoPT to amend the DoPT Guidelines so as to provide a minimum of 5% posts reserved for sportspersons instead of upto 5% which has resulted in not making it mandatory to keep the vacancies reserved for sportspersons.
5. It was recommended to request Indian Olympic Association and National Sports Federations to provide Medical Insurance Policies to National Medal Winners and International Sportspersons.
6. It was decided to o write to all Sports Promotion Boards and major employers to identify their Sports Medicine Doctors and utilize their services for Sports promotion instead of using them in regular duties.
7. President, AICS informed that a Committee has been constituted to streamline Yog teaching by instituting National Eligibility Test (NET) to teach Yog in school colleges as Yog has emerged as a separate discipline covering Sports, philosophy and education.
8. President, AICS mentioned that efforts are being made to integrate all factions of National Yog Federations into one Federations to promote Yog as competitive sport as per the guidelines of DoPT.
9. Asst. Director, Ministry of Tribal Affairs explained the steps being taken for promotion of sports, indigenous games & martial arts in the tribal areas under the scheme `Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana’. as recommended by AICS in its first meeting.
10. It has been decided to take up with the appropriate Ministries for simplification of Custom Duty Tariff Rules in respect of those imported sports equipment & sports goods which have no recycling or re-sale value like Javelin, Pole Vault Pole, Archery Equipment, etc. Further FCRA Rules need to be simplified so that National Sports Federations may get donations/development funds from the International Sports Federations/Organizations.
