BCCI AGM to discuss crucial issues

Notwithstanding the absence of a keenly contested election for key posts, the two-day Annual General Meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, at Kolkata on September 27 and 28, assumes significance as crucial issues, like the graded system of payment for cricketers and the contract dispute with the world body, are part of the agenda.

Like last year, the 74th AGM of the BCCI is expected to be a tame affair as far as election to the key post of president is concerned, as the incumbent Jagmohan Dalmiya, who will be going for his third term, is unlikely to face any challenge.

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But from the deliberation point of view, the meeting is crucial as a number of important issues, including the implementation of the graded system of payment to cricketers doing national duty will be discussed.

This issue has been under consideration for quite some time. In fact, the Board had recently taken the initiative of putting the long-pending proposal into practice by holding discussions with some top players.

The proposal envisages dividing players into three grades, according to their experience, and giving them a fixed annual payment of Rs 60 lakh, Rs 30 lakh and Rs 15 lakh apart from a match fee on the basis of the number of matches played in a year.

Another important point to be discussed is the International Cricket Council decision to withhold India's 6.5-million-dollar World Cup guarantee money following the players' contract dispute.

Board president Dalmiya only last week held informal discussions with ICC bosses on the issue during the ICC Cricket Committee meeting in Mumbai.

Another important agenda is the plans and programmes for the BCCI's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, to be launched by the end of the year.

The two-day deliberations will also discuss the dispute over affiliation to Bihar and Jharkhand.