To prevent delay in purchase and streamline the procedure for procuring sports equipment to train for the Olympics and other major tournaments, the sports ministry has issued new guidelines. As per the new guidelines, approved on March 27, the recognised national federations have been given financial powers to buy such equipment for use in the national camps.
The federations will get 75% of the total amount in advance and the balance will be reimbursed after delivery is made.
The equipment, on delivery, will be entered in the stock registers of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) before being sent to the national camps.
“Earlier, there were no fixed guidelines…and to meet the demands of the players as early as possible, the ministry has come up with the new guidelines. The federations will procure the equipment on behalf of SAI,” said Gopal Krishna, secretary, SAI. “The training equipment in demand at national camps is of high standard, unlike those for normal training. Sometimes, we are not aware of the latest requirements, and at times there is a need to meet the demand in a very short span of time. However, there will be a system of checks and balances put in place,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“Earlier, there were no fixed guidelines…and to meet the demands of the players as early as possible, the ministry has come up with the new guidelines. The federations will procure the equipment on behalf of SAI,” said Gopal Krishna, secretary, SAI. “The training equipment in demand at national camps is of high standard, unlike those for normal training. Sometimes, we are not aware of the latest requirements, and at times there is a need to meet the demand in a very short span of time. However, there will be a system of checks and balances put in place,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Training equipment is divided into two categories, consumable items like shuttlecocks, boxing gloves, boxing shoes, hockey sticks, etc, and training gadgets, including hi-tech and scientific equipment.
An assessment committee at the national camp, headed by SAI officials and including federation representatives and sports experts, will prepare the list for buying.
For the training gadgets, the assessment will be done by the steering committee of that particular sport.
Hi-tech equipment valued up to R7.5 lakh will be purchased through the federations. The power to make purchases between R7.5-10 lakh will be with the SAI director-general, but the federations can also make them under the supervision of a SAI official. Equipment valued higher than that will be procured directly by SAI.
“In all the procurements, the federations have to follow the financial rules of the ministry. To meet the demands other than the national camps, the procurement will be done directly by SAI,” said Krishna.
SAI will make all the procurement in case non-recognised national federations are involved, he added.