The sports budget for FY 2022-23 has seen an increase of Rs 305.58 crore, from Rs 2,757.02 crore to Rs 3,062.60 crore, setting off murmurs of dissatisfaction among federations which expected more from finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman given India’s success at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

The Khelo India programme will get Rs 974 crore in 2022-23, up Rs 105 crore from the revised allocation of Rs 869 crore for 2021-22.

The allocation for national sports federations (NSFs) is Rs 280 crore. Last year too it had initially been allocated an identical amount but it was later scaled down to Rs 181 crore.

Federations are unhappy with what they see is just a marginal increase in the overall outlay.

“The increase of just over Rs 300 crore is nothing at the end of the day. If you want to see 20 medals in the 2028 Olympic Games, you have to invest more in sports. Planning should have started now. All this talk that the Tokyo Olympic Games success will lead to an increase in the sports budget rings hollow. The government has done nothing for sports in this budget,” a miffed source told The Telegraph.

India won seven medals, including a historic track and field gold for javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, at Tokyo.

The increase of around Rs 105 crore in Khelo India’s allocation has also raised a few eyebrows. “There are 12 verticals in Khelo India. There is a misconception that the Khelo India programme is all about tournaments. It’s not. So where the government intends to spend remains to be seen. Also, this government is obsessed with elite athletes whereas the focus should be on grooming new talents,” the source said.

Adille Sumariwallah, the Athletics Federation of India president, feels the budget has touched on the right areas. “The focus on Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast is welcome. The Northeast has a huge potential that everyone knows. And the increased allocation for Khelo India I am told would be used more on infrastructure. So an aspiring athlete at a far-flung corner would not have to travel if a stadium is there, say, within two kilometres. That could be a swimming pool, a track or anything. The key, however, will be implementation. The Indian Olympic Association, the NSFs, Sports Authority of India will have to work in tandem to ensure it’s done. Otherwise everything will fall flat on its face. Also the facilities will have to be upgraded every year,” Sumariwallah said.

The federations are willing to wait and watch. “If through Khelo India we can unearth new talents, then it’s good.

But what about athletes who are not in TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme)? We have to think about them also,” the secretary of an association said.