NSC gets budget for SAF Games

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, August 17: All employees along with National Sports Council (NSC) Member Secretary are happy now. The reason is that the Ministry of Finance has agreed to provide NSC with all necessary budgets for the 9th South Asian Federation Games and other regular expenditure.

The cheers came for NSC and its officials after a meeting held among National Sports Council Member Secretary Binod Shankar Palikhe, Nepal Olympic Committee President Rukma Shumsher Rana, Ministry of Fianance’s Joint Secretary Madhav Prasad Ghimire and Education and Finance Ministry’s Under Secretary Dilip Kumar Bista.

The meeting paved the way for the Ministry of Finance to give all the necessary budget for NSC for the 9th SAF Games.

The Ministry hasl also decided to approve NSC’s request for the provision of annual budget for its 1043 employees, Palikhe said.

The Ministry of Finance became ready to solve NSC problems related with the preparation and participation for the 9th SAF Games as well as 14th Asian Games. The Ministry showed its readiness after the NSC and NOC officials apprises it of the problems "which might have stopped Nepalese team from participating the 9th SAF Games."

Palikeh said that the Ministry has Okayed to provide about 20.2 million rupees which, however, is less than the amount it requested from the Ministry.

After the Ministry approval, NSC is going to hold its first phase of close camps from Monday for the players for the preparation for SAF Games participation, he said.

According to Palikhe, there will be 160 players, 62 coaches, referees and officials and 8 journalists in Nepalese squad for the 9th SAF Games to be held in Pakistan from October 6 this year.