Grappling with DSO red-tape

The state government had introduced the project to support and develop traditional sports like wrestling in the rural areas. The then minister — Balasaheb Desai — created a scheme for the wrestlers, which included conducting state-level competition in districts and setting up scholarships for the deserving.

During the year 1998-99, a state-level competition was conducted in which nine wrestlers in Kumar Group, eight in the Red Mud Group and eight in the Mat Group took part and became eligible forscholarships. The participants spent money from their pockets on travel and food in the hope of getting a scholarship.

However, in the past six months, instead of getting money, they find that they are having to spend more and more out of of their own already cash-strapped pockets in travelling to and fro to the Solapur DSO office from their talukas trying to get their hard-earned scholarships.

The DSO has sent two reminders to the Directorate of Sports, Pune, and has brought to their notice that they have received the demand draft, but have not yet got the list of the beneficiary sportspersons men, without which they are unable to release the funds.

“We have shot off several reminders since last March to clarify about the list of names, but nothing has been done so far. Just a week ago our department has written once again to give the directives,” said an officer at the DSO on request of anonymity.

The situation remains unchanged for the wrestlers who are often seen making inquiries at the DSO cityoffice in the city. India’s traditional sports are dying an unnatural death — stifled in an environment where state government schemes collapse because some officials cannot find time to compile a simple list of names in six months!