da leao： Sharad Pawar, the new president of the Board of Control for Cricket inIndia, said in his first press conference in the post that his team would befocusing on the development of infrastructure as a priority
da betcris： Anand Vasu in Kolkata29-Nov-2005
Sharad Pawar will be focussing on infrastructure © Getty Images
Sharad Pawar, the new president of the Board of Control for Cricket inIndia, said in his first press conference in the post that his team would befocusing on the development of infrastructure as a priority. “To developinfrastructure has become very expensive,” he said. “Instead ofkeeping a lot of money in the bank, we have to take some decision todevelop infrastructure on a regular basis. That should be donein a fair manner. Also, the existing infrastructure at Test and One-Daygrounds need to be improved and raised to international standards. Theboard also has to consider ways in which we can support our state units.”Pawar said that it was a priority of the board to set up a mediacommittee. “It is high time to bring professionalism in the functioning ofthe Board. We deal with public at large, media and sponsors. It is ourresponsibility to keep very good relation with this cross section… Wehave to take a professional approach in day to day running of the Board.”Among other things he listed finding a sponsor for the Indian team[Sahara’s contract has already run out and was extended till the Sri Lankaseries] and finalisation of player contracts as key issues that needed tobe addressed urgently.Pawar, speaking to the press in a large banquet hall at the Oberoi Grandhotel, was seated alongside the other three winners on the day, NiranjanShah, N Srinivasan and MP Pandove. He was quizzed on several detailedaspects of the board’s functioning, but as was only to be expected ofsomeone who had just assumed office, he said he needed time for himselfand his various committees to apply their minds to the question at hand.But he was unequivocal on certain points.For starters, he did not think his involvement in politics [he is the federalagriculture minister] would pose any problems. “I have been in public lifefor 40 years, and also involved in sports for 40 years. There have beenmany people from Sudhir Wankhede, NKP Salve, to even Ranbir SinghMahendra, who have been involved in both politics and sportsadministration. I don’t see why one needs to affect another.” Pawar hadearlier resigned from the marketing committee of the board, saying he wastoo busy. When asked how he would now go about being president, hequipped, “Now I’ll find the time.”Pawar also made an effort to be different from his predecessors, admittingthat the constitution of the board needed looking into. He said that TSKrishna Murthy, the court-appointed observer who conducted the elections,had made several suggestions, and these would be looked into. Whenpointedly asked for his views on the chairman’s vote in presidentialelections he said, “Depends. But I can tell you if it came to that, Iwould not vote for myself.”The questions on Sourav Ganguly’s future, and the manner in which Kolkata,Bengal and the East Zone would be treated by the BCCI, Pawar was deadpan.He repeatedly assured questioners that his team would not favour anyparticular region, and stressed that the board would leave matters of teamselection to the selection committee. However, it’s not entirely clear ifhe was being tongue-in-cheek when he said, “Sourav Ganguly is one of thebest allrounders produced by this country.”Pawar also re-iterated the fact that the board’s offices would be based inMumbai. He had earlier spoken of a need to consolidate the various officesof the board, and get all relevant files under one roof. “As per ourconstitution the permanent headquarters of the board is Mumbai. This hasbeen around for 30-40 years.”
