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Maken said the bill was aimed at bringing transparency in the functioning of National Sports Federations (NSFs), ensuring right to information, more voice of the players, good governance and age & tenure norms that are essential to the development of sports in the country.
He also made it clear that the government did not intend to control or intrude into any sports federation.
"We do not intend to have the government nominee as office bearer or member of any sports federation...I will personally speak to all those who have any apprehensions of any kind," Maken said.
Asked why BCCI, which was not receiving funds from the government, needed to be brought under the RTI, the Sports Minister said, "Directly or indirectly any sports federation getting help from the government, should come under the RTI."
Maken said that the "biggest public function" that the sports federations perform was that they select the Indian team and hence its function has to be transparent "because they are doing something on behalf of India as a country."
Citing allotment of land at much less than the market rates and tax exemptions, besides security, Maken said most of these sports federations "get help directly or indirectly".
"I am not saying submit your account, submit your information to the government. What I`m saying is that the people of this country have the right to know when you are performing the biggest function of selecting team known as India," he said.