The Union Government has refrained from providing specific state-wise figures or status details in Parliament regarding sports infrastructure projects in Punjab, directing lawmakers instead to its public dashboards for real-time monitoring of funds and project completion.
Responding to a query by BJP Member of Parliament Tarun Chugh in the Rajya Sabha regarding project delays and incomplete works under the Khelo India Scheme over the past four years, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya stated that detailed metrics, including sanctioned costs, funds released, and physical progress, are available in the public domain on the Ministry’s designated online portals.
In a written reply to the Unstarred Question, the Minister highlighted that ‘Sports’ is a State subject, placing the primary responsibility for the development and strengthening of sports infrastructure on the respective state and union territory governments. He noted that the Union Government merely supplements these efforts by bridging critical gaps through financial assistance based on proposal completeness, technical feasibility, and fund availability.
Addressing the question on specific year-wise allocations and execution timelines, Dr. Mandaviya explained that projects approved under the Khelo India Scheme and the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) are demand-driven and executed directly by the respective grantee entities rather than directly by the Union Ministry.
Elaborating on the execution bottlenecks encountered across various state projects, the Sports Ministry attributed project delays to procedural and environmental factors. Common hurdles cited include statutory clearances, land acquisition issues, tendering and contractual processes, unexpected revisions in project scope, adverse weather conditions, and localized implementation challenges.
The Minister assured the House that the Centre maintains active oversight over sanctioned projects to ensure accountability and progress. The Ministry continuously monitors implementation through field inspections by Project Monitoring Committees, regular review meetings with grantees, tracking of periodic progress reports, and verification of mandatory Utilization Certificates (UCs) before releasing subsequent funds, actively following up with implementing agencies to expedite delayed works.