The India U-19 team, currently coached by Rahul Dravid and engaged in a five-match one-day series against England here, is reportedly not being paid their daily allowance of R 6,800 by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). As a result, the U-19 players are forced to venture out of their hotel to seek more affordable dinner.
The report claimed that absence of an official signatory in the BCCI after the Supreme Court dismissed secretary Ajay Shirke and president Anurag Thakur last month as the reason behind this situation. The government’s demonetisation policy, where there is a cap of R 24,000 on weekly withdrawal, is also cited as one of the reasons.
A source close to the Committee of Administrators (COA), a four-member Supreme Court-appointed panel, said: “The non-payment is largely due to the withdrawal limit under the demonetisation policy.
Read more | Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw tons help India U-19 win series against England
“Also this is not exactly an U-19 team as most of the players are below 18, so we cannot issue cards (debit or credit) to them under the RBI policy. We have provided the senior India team with debit cards where their daily allowances are transferred.”
“The India and West Indies women’s teams also played without their daily allowances during their series in November. The COA has asked the BCCI’s Chief Financial Officer to proceed with opening of bank accounts for these players where the money will be transferred. It should take a couple of days to complete the procedure,” said the source.
{{/usCountry}}“The India and West Indies women’s teams also played without their daily allowances during their series in November. The COA has asked the BCCI’s Chief Financial Officer to proceed with opening of bank accounts for these players where the money will be transferred. It should take a couple of days to complete the procedure,” said the source.
{{/usCountry}}Read more | Under-19 Cricket World Cup winning trainer Rajesh Sawant found dead in Mumbai
Regarding the absence of an authorised signatory, the source said: “In the very first meeting of the COA, it was made clear to the eligible office-bearers of the BCCI (treasurer Anirudh Chaudhary and joint secretary Amitabh Choudhary) that there will be no change in their functions and duties.”
Meanwhile, the team officials were not willing to talk on the subject. When pressed one official associated with the team told HT: “Everything has been arranged for us. I don’t know from what angle it has been reported.”