SAG seeks legal action against defaulting SSAs

Panaji: The Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) will seek the general body’s approval to initiate legal action and recovery proceedings against the defaulting State Sports Associations (SSA) for non-settlement of accounts pertaining to the 37th National Games 2023.
SAG said despite repeated notices and email communications issued to the erring associations for settlement/refund of the outstanding amounts, they have failed to take the matter seriously. “The amount remains unsettled/unsubmitted/ unrefunded to date,” SAG said in its agenda note for the general body meeting on Friday.
Recovery proceedings are being initiated under the provisions of the Goa Land Revenue Code.
The SAG had sanctioned grants of approximately Rs 15.4 crore to 35 state associations so that they could prepare adequately for the 37th National Games, held in Goa between Oct 26 and Nov 9, 2023. Even though preparations started later than expected, Goa won a record number of medals, thanks largely to the record funding of Rs 11.2 crore — 80 % of the total amount — that was released to the associations.
According to available records, some of the associations that got high funding includes football (Rs 68.2 lakh), handball (Rs 68.2 lakh), athletics (Rs 66.7 lakh), netball (Rs 54.3 lakh), sepaktakraw (Rs 43 lakh), kabaddi (Rs 41.6 lakh), boxing (Rs 41 lakh), basketball (Rs 40.2 lakh), weightlifting (Rs 40.1 lakh) and hockey (Rs 40.1 lakh).
The SAG has not said which associations are yet to settle its accounts. However, sports promoter and former Goa Badminton Association (GBA) president Sandeep Heble felt a facilitative approach towards pending documentation is the need of the hour.
“Associations acted under intense timelines in the larger interest of the state and procedural gaps should be addressed through assistance rather than coercive recovery proceedings,” Heble said in a representation to chief minister Pramod Sawant, who is also chairman of the SAG. “Grants released to associations were sanctioned for specific and time-bound purposes connected with camps, competitions, logistics and athlete preparation. Associations acted in good faith under intense timelines to ensure the successful conduct of the Games, often responding to urgent requirements in the larger interest of the state.”
“Where certain documentation or procedural compliances of few remain pending, this could be attributable to the rigid procedural compliances, evolving reporting formats and the limited administrative capacity of associations. Instead of initiating coercive and draconian recovery proceedings, a supportive and facilitative approach would be more appropriate,” added Heble.
Other members felt SAG should deploy office assistants or nodal officers to work alongside association office bearers to ensure full compliance, transparency and timely closure by the end of the month.