Delhi govt announces ₹2,000 monthly aid for young athletes

The Delhi government on Thursday approved a new financial assistance component under the Mukhyamantri Khel Protsahan Yojana (MKPY), providing eligible young athletes training at government sports centres and stadiums with a monthly incentive of ₹2,000, officials said

The Delhi government on Thursday approved a new financial assistance component under the Mukhyamantri Khel Protsahan Yojana (MKPY), providing eligible young athletes training at government sports centres and stadiums with a monthly incentive of ₹2,000, officials said.

The scheme will cover athletes in the under-14, 17, 19 and 21 categories, officials said.

The cabinet decided at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The new “Grassroots Training Support Assistance” aims to help young athletes cover expenses for nutrition, local travel, basic sporting equipment, and medical needs, and to prevent financial constraints from disrupting their training.

The scheme will cover athletes in the under-14, 17, 19 and 21 categories, officials said.

Beneficiaries will be selected based on sporting performance and potential, regular attendance and discipline, and financial need. Athletes must be regularly enrolled at a government sports centre or stadium and maintain at least 80% attendance.

The assistance will be extended to up to 25% of regularly enrolled trainees at each centre or stadium. Ordinarily, a maximum of 100 athletes at a facility will receive the benefit, while larger stadiums with higher enrolment may have up to 150 beneficiaries, subject to budget availability.

Gupta said the initiative would strengthen the pathway for sporting talent from the grassroots level and ensure that young athletes do not drop out because of financial difficulties.

The new component supplements the existing MKPY provisions. Under its training support module, top-ranked school-level athletes can receive up to ₹5 lakh annually, while elite athletes representing Delhi and India at the highest levels can receive up to ₹20 lakh a year. The scheme also provides participation support and cash incentives for outstanding performances at state, national and international competitions.

Education and Sports Minister Ashish Sood said the government’s priority was to ensure that talented youngsters had access to opportunities and the support needed to pursue sporting careers.