Sandip Mukund Pradhan gets two-year extension as Director General of SAI

On May 27, 2020, Sandip Mukund Pradhan, the Director-General (DG) of Sports Authority of India (SAI) was given an extension for a period of 2 years and it will come into effect from June 6, 2020. 

Key Points:

i.The proposal was put forward by the Sports Ministry of India to extend the tenure of Pradhan and was then approved by the cabinet.

ii.The decision was notified to the Sports Ministry by the Secretariat of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Department of Personnel & Training.

iii.Pradhan was appointed as the Director-General of SAI in August 2017.

SAI announced Rs.30,000 each for 2,749 Khelo India athletes

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has deposited Rs 30,000 each as out of pocket allowance (OPA) in accounts of 2,749 Khelo India athletes, a total of Rs. 8.25 crores. The allowance is for the first quarter of 2020-21. 

Key Points:

i.OPA allowance: The allowance comprises expenses towards travel to hometown, diet charges while at home & other miscellaneous expenses incurred by the athletes.

ii.The OPA is Rs.1.20 lakh annually and is a part of the Khelo India Scholarship of Rs 6.28 lakh that is given to each athlete selected under the scheme, annually.

iii.Athletes from 35 States and Union Territories (UT) have been given the OPA in 21 sporting disciplines with the maximum number of them from Maharashtra (386), Haryana (381), Delhi (225), Punjab (202) and Tamil Nadu (165).

About Sports Authority of India (SAI):
The Sports Authority of India is the apex national sports body of India, established in 1984 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of Government of India (GOI) for the development of sport in India.   
Headquarters– New Delhi.