P Sainath has raised an important issue about subsidies being showered to billionaires in the veil of promoting business and cricket. While IPL is already under scrutiny for its dilution of cricket as sports and political nexus that hounds the big money involved in IPL. But there is bigger issue of public money being at stake in IPL's promotion that has been raised in article.
Subsidy is given to businesses in purview of the risk they are taking for improving opportunity in employment in the given region. In context of IPL’s match hosting the subsidies are contradictory to any sane logic.
The foremost reason of subsidy would be the promotion of cricket as sports in India. IPL is seen as launch pad of talent and emerging players. But in India it is other sports which have danger from the already gained position of cricket.
When tax subsidies are given, generally they are because of the impact of corresponding business on employment. As most of game is revolved around already set-up business of entertainment in form of media and TV and not product or service is being manufactured which could provide employment to common man, this factor nulls itself.
With a big schedule that spans more than a month the individual matches cater to entertainment to particular city apart from media. The argument that it could promote tourism and exposure of the city globally has little validity.
While holding of international events like Commonwealth games can be key factor in bringing good money to a city and improving infrastructure and exposure of the city, the same is far irrelevant to domestic IPL games besides the fact that international players are roped in for IPL teams.
The recent row has brought the lack of transparency in Indian Cricket and BCCI's dealings to the fore. Lest the great showcase event of IPL becomes a national shame, it's time that cricket's financial dealings are made transparent and regulatory authorities be made independent from politics and businesses.
Subsidy is given to businesses in purview of the risk they are taking for improving opportunity in employment in the given region. In context of IPL’s match hosting the subsidies are contradictory to any sane logic.
The foremost reason of subsidy would be the promotion of cricket as sports in India. IPL is seen as launch pad of talent and emerging players. But in India it is other sports which have danger from the already gained position of cricket.
When tax subsidies are given, generally they are because of the impact of corresponding business on employment. As most of game is revolved around already set-up business of entertainment in form of media and TV and not product or service is being manufactured which could provide employment to common man, this factor nulls itself.
With a big schedule that spans more than a month the individual matches cater to entertainment to particular city apart from media. The argument that it could promote tourism and exposure of the city globally has little validity.
While holding of international events like Commonwealth games can be key factor in bringing good money to a city and improving infrastructure and exposure of the city, the same is far irrelevant to domestic IPL games besides the fact that international players are roped in for IPL teams.
The recent row has brought the lack of transparency in Indian Cricket and BCCI's dealings to the fore. Lest the great showcase event of IPL becomes a national shame, it's time that cricket's financial dealings are made transparent and regulatory authorities be made independent from politics and businesses.
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