सिंहदरबार संवाददाता
Kathmandu. Minister for Youth and Sports Tejulal Chaudhary has said that the process of the 10th National Games could not proceed due to the failure to approve the 10th Sports Operation Guidelines and Financial Procedures from the Ministry of Finance on time. In a meeting of the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee held at Singha Durbar on Friday, Sports Minister Chaudhary said that the sports event could not be held on time due to administrative problems along with compliance with the Act and Law.
Minister Chaudhary recalled that he had repeatedly requested the Finance Minister to proceed with the process for the sports event, and lamented that he was getting answers that this was not enough and that was not enough for administrative work. Sports Minister Chaudhary said that he felt that it would not be possible to do it with just the budget being released. Minister Chaudhary has said that it will take up to a year to complete the administrative work.
Minister Chaudhary mentioned that he only directs his work and that the responsibility of the secretary lies with the work. Minister Chaudhary mentioned that the dispute arose after the current Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) Chairman Jeevan Ram Shrestha was unable to act in accordance with the law. Minister Chaudhary mentioned that the dispute started in the Olympic Committee after the election was held by amending the statute contrary to the court order and 10 out of 27 associations boycotted the election.
Minister Chaudhary also revealed that the sports association has a practice of not holding elections in sports associations for 5 to 10 years. He said that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has also not recognized the NOC. He mentioned that NSC Member Secretary Tanklal Ghising had sent a proposal to the outgoing Youth and Sports Minister to hold board meetings several times in Chaitra last year, Baisakh this year and Jestha to determine the necessary budget for the preparation of the 10th National Games. However, he mentioned that the meeting could not be held as per his proposal. Member Secretary Ghising mentioned that preparations for the 10th Games were delayed as preparations for the Olympics and Paralympics were then underway and the next meeting was held 15 months after the 117th Board meeting of the National Sports Council.
However, he said that the board meeting held on November 21 had taken two important steps, namely the decision to send the 10th National Sports Operation Directive, 2079 BS with necessary amendments and the allocation of budget under the subheading according to the financial norms (expenditure criteria). However, the directive and financial norms have been sent to the Ministry of Finance through the Ministry of Sports for approval, and once approved, the 10th National Games will proceed, said NSC Member Secretary Ghising.
Member Secretary Ghising mentioned that as per the Financial Procedures and Financial Responsibility Act, 2076, the expenditure criteria calculated by any body must be approved by the Ministry of Finance, and the national sports project cannot be carried out without approval from there. He also clarified that they are currently awaiting the consent of the Ministry of Finance to proceed with the sports project.
He said that since all the ten teams participating in the 10th National Games are government bodies, they also have to proceed in accordance with the Public Act and Procurement Regulations for participating in sports. He also informed that despite preparations for the 10th National Games after the SEE and before the exams of classes 11 and 12, the path has not been cleared. He said that the provinces and the department are also making their own preparations.
Ministry of Youth and Sports Secretary Dr. Hari Prasad Lamsal mentioned that the process for the sports event has not been able to move forward as some provisions have been changed after the ordinance came into effect. According to Secretary Lamsal, problems are arising due to the lack of clarity on how and in what form the expenses will be distributed. He said that the work has not been able to move forward quickly due to the lack of uniformity in the understanding.
Committee member and CPN (Maoist Center) MP Devendra Poudel said that the 10th National Games should start from Chaitra 23 anyway. Poudel mentioned that it is not a good thing that the sports event cannot be held even when the budget has been allocated. He said that the sports event cannot move forward due to the lack of coordination between the concerned bodies. MP Poudel said that the Sports Minister should discuss with the concerned bodies and move forward rather than complaining.
CPN-UML MP Chhabilal Bishwakarma emphasized that the 10th Games should be organized on time to avoid any obstacles in the preparation of the participating teams and players even though the infrastructure has been built. He said that preparations for the sports event should not be stopped because of lack of time. He mentioned that no one should shy away from responsibility and accountability.
CPN (Maoist Center) MP Rekha Sharma said that the sports event is being affected due to poor efforts and said that the ministry should work hard to organize the games on time. MP Sharma says that the Minister of Youth and Sports should take responsibility as the system is not working properly automatically. She informed that the 10th Games will not be organized from Chaitra 23 despite the ministry and the minister continuing to show indifference.
MP Sharma, who is also a former minister, is excited to organize the Karnali Provincial Games by completing the infrastructure and called on the ministry to move forward to organize the games so that the morale of the players does not decrease.
News Agency Nepal
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