Congress says ‘petty pilfering’ from National Sports Development Fund is discouraging sportspersons
The Congress party has criticized the misuse of funds from the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF), claiming it is discouraging sportspersons in India. Allegations have surfaced that donations meant for athlete support are being diverted to build sports complexes for IAS officers. The party has called for accountability and corrective action from the Ministry of Sports as donations to the NSDF have significantly decreased.
- ▪Congress has labeled the misuse of NSDF funds as 'petty pilfering'.
- ▪Funds intended for athlete support are reportedly being used for sports complexes for IAS officers.
- ▪Donations to the NSDF have dropped from ₹85.26 crore in FY 2023-24 to ₹37.02 crore in FY 2025-26.
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The Congress on Friday (May 22, 2026) said "petty pilfering" from the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) is discouraging the country's sportspersons at a time when India hopes to host the Olympics. Budget 2026: Sports goods sector gets ₹500 crore boost; Khelo India allocation remains highIn a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh highlighted media reports how money donated to the NSDF were being used for sports complexes in residences of IAS officers and welfare associations.In August 2025, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth, and Sports had flagged that funds donated to the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) were being used to fund sports complexes in IAS officers' residences and welfare associations.…— Jairam Ramesh…
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