It refers to reported demand raised by our ultra-rich cricketers minting money by every means including match-fees, commercial-advertisements and other sources, for a further hike in their hefty annual salary-package, which is presently rupees two crores for seven players in A-category, rupees one crore for nine players in B-category and rupees 50 lakhs for fourteen players in C-category apart from match-fees of rupees fifteen lakhs, six lakhs and three lakhs for test-matches, one-day-international and T-20 matches respectively. Reports indicate those raising demand for salary-hike also include players listed in A-category with rupees two-crore annual salary. It is also noteworthy that cricketers in different categories also get life-time pensions after their retirement from the game.
Such hefty income through Board for control of Cricket in India-BCCI unfortunately continues with adequate control on BCCI after Supreme Court directions. Such an income disparity giving a select category of citizens such high income by a body like BCCI which earns enormously on public-craze of the game is not proper. Evidently players of other games even find hard to practice for international events, what to talk about such hefty packages of salary, match-fees and pension.
Even government-rules prescribe that total salary of any government-employee must not exceed that of top-most bureaucrat in the country i.e. Union Cabinet Secretary. Even professors in government medical-colleges start losing their non-practicising-allowance once its clubbing into monthly salary starts exceeding total salary of Union Cabinet Secretary.
Central government and Supreme Court should also regulate salaries, match-fees and pensions of cricketers in tune with economic-status of the country, wherein it may not exceed salary of Union Cabinet Secretary.
SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL