Disputes between sports minister, member secy comes to the fore

Published On: November 29, 2016 01:50 AM NPT By: Republica  | @RepublicaNepal


KATHMANDU, Nov 29: Disputes between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Sports Council (NSC) surfaced on Monday during a program organized to distribute motivational amount to international medalists in the capital.  

Minister for Youth and Sports Daljit Sripali warned NSC Member Secretary Keshav Kumar Bista either to make sports free from politics or to leave his post while sharing the same forum on the NSC premises. 

Minister Sripali said that Nepali sports was hard hit by politics and the NSC Member Secretary as the acting executive head needs to eradicate the problems. 

“Nepali sports is badly politicized. People who are supposed to lead the players and work for the betterment of their condition are politicizing sports, which is not a positive sign for the overall development of sports,” said Minister Sripali. “NSC Member Secretary should be serious about the issue and work to overcome it in order to make Nepali sports free from politics. If he can't do this, it's better he leave the post.” 

Sripali was nominated as the sports minister by the current collation government under the CPN (Maoist Center) quota while Member Secretary Bista was nominated by the previous UML government led by KP Sharma Oli.  

Referring to the ongoing protest organized by temporary and contract-based employees, Minister Sripali requested them not to conduct such programs on the eve of the national games. “We all should be focused for the successful hosting of the national games at this moment. Thus, I request not to organize any protest programs that would disturb the preparation for the national games,” said Minister Sripali.  

Temporary and contract-based employees are in protest since Friday demanding for permanent nomination at the NSC.

Meanwhile, NSC distributed allowances of Rs 2.18 million to 81 medalists of South Asian Games (SAG) and five medalists of Asian Games. NSC provided Rs 20,000 for the medalists of the SAG and Asian Games. 

Players who are currently in Kathmandu were provided the amount while those who are outside the Valley will be handed the incentive on December 5. However, NSC will not provide the amount to the players currently living abroad. 

NSC Member Secretary Bista said that the money is very low compared to the hard work of the players. He also urged the players to accept it as a respect offered by the government. 

“The monetary value of the allowances given by the government is very low but players should look at it positively because it is just the beginning and there will be increment in the future,” said Bista. 

During the same occasion, Secretary at the Ministry for Youth and Sports Mahesh Prasad Dahal said that the ministry was working on formulating a master plan for the betterment of Nepali sports. 

“We are working on making a master plan to develop the Nepali sports sector and it will be revealed in two months,” said Dahal. 

He also said that the master plan will address the needs of infrastructural development for sports in order to successfully host the upcoming SAG games to be held in Nepal in 2018.


Leave A Comment