New Delhi, Oct 23 (UNI) Unpaid food bills amounting to more than Rs 7 lakh charged up by a visiting Indian hockey team, were paid by a Non-Resident Indian in Australa during April-May 2008.
Admitting this, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports M S Gill said in a written reply that the Government had received a communication from H S Chouhan of the Royal India Restaurant claiming non-payment of catering bills by the Indian Hockey team during its visit to Perth and Darwin in Australia, to play a four-nation tournament.
The total bill charged up by the Hockey team was stated to be 18,816 Australian dollars, Gill said, adding that the federation concerned has been asked to submit the audited accounts for settlement of the amount.
"Since the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), under whose aegis the Indian team visited Australia is under suspension, an ad-hoc committee would resolve the matter," he told the Rajya Sabha.
Under the scheme of assistance to national sports federations, the Government foots the bill of the sports federations to participate in international events, which includes the cost of boarding.
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