New Delhi, Aug 13 - All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Praful Patel Thursday thanked the Indian cricket board for doling out Rs.250 million for the development of football in the country.

'It is a historic decision by the BCCI and will have far-reaching effects. I whole heartedly thank the BCCI and this grant will help in the development and upliftment of the game in our country. For long, India has been known as a great cricketing nation throughout the world, but now I am sure it would also be known as a footballing nation in the very near future,' Patel said.

Patel, who is also the civil aviation minister, had apparently approached his party chief and former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sharad Pawar to get some funds from the cricket board to prepare the national football team for the 2011 Asian Cup. Pawar is also the president-elect of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The BCCI working committee finally decided to grant a hefty sum to the AIFF for the next two years.

Patel said the AIFF will closely monitor the development programme and hoped that Indian football achieves its pristine glory soon.