Prompted by the World Anti-Doping Agency's threat to impose sanctions against several countries, including India, for failing to pay their share of its operating budget for 2003, the Sports Ministry announced that it will pay its dues in the current financial year itself.

"India has paid its dues for the year 2002 to WADA. The contribution for the year 2003 could only be paid after the budget for the year 2003-2004 is passed by Parliament and not before.

"Now since the budget of 2003-2004 has been passed by the Parliament, the contribution for 2003 will be paid by India during this financial year only," the Sports Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday night.

"As a matter of fact, the government of India has introduced a new scheme for Dope Tests and under the scheme, payment of contribution to WADA has been provided for," it added.

The ministry clarified the country's position on signing the Copenhagan Declaration on anti-doping in sport, saying the matter is "receiving appropriate attention in the Sports Ministry and is being processed on a fast track for obtaining approval at the competent level in the government".

The ministry has to seek the approval of the cabinet after consulting all ministries before signing on the declaration, it said. 

WADA president Richard W Pound had come down heavily on countries which have not honoured their commitments to pay their contributions in time and threatened to impose sanctions against the defaulters.