Govt doles out ₹36,441 crore for Khelo India

The combined outlay for a five-year period has been cleared to prepare young talent for global success

New Delhi: In a major revamp of the Khelo India Scheme, the Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi on Friday approved a combined outlay of ₹36,441 crore for a five-year period beginning this financial year.

The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi on Friday approved a combined outlay of ₹36,441 crore for a five-year period beginning this financial year (HT_PRINT)

The move to expand Khelo India and enhance assistance to NSFs is designed to create a “seamless pathway” for young talents from the grassroots to global success. With India set to host the 2030 CWG in Ahmedabad and aiming to host the 2036

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Currently, around 3,000 Khelo India Athletes (KIA) receive training under various SAI schemes. Budding athletes currently receive ₹6.28 lakh per annum per athlete under various schemes which includes an out-of-pocket allowance of ₹10,000 per month for each KIA besides support for training, equipment, diet and education. That figure is going to increase tenfold. It means 30,000 athletes from the grassroots will be inducted under Khelo India over the next five years. A new layer of Emerging Khelo India Athletes will be added below the KIA to identify talent at an even younger age.

It will help expand the base at grassroots and guide young athletes under professional coaching, scientific support and long-term mentoring through a structured athlete development ecosystem.

The scheme establishes an integrated nationwide ecosystem comprising National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs), Khelo India Centres of Excellence and academies, SAI Training Centres (STCs), and Youth Sports Companies (YSCs) of the Armed Forces.

The government said it’ll “deepen collaboration with private academies, corporate partners and other institutions to leverage investment, innovation and expertise in sports infrastructure, talent development and athlete support.”

To strengthen sports in schools, the government has introduced two new initiatives — Khelo India Feeder Schools (KIFS) and Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalayas (KIUV) — which will integrate sports with mainstream education and help early identification of talent and systematic nurturing. It has been learnt that, for the execution of the project, the sports ministry would look to enhance its administrative setup.

A talent identification framework will be developed. A National Coach Accreditation Board (NCAB) will be established to produce quality coaches and strengthen the capacity of coaches and support staff.

NSFs will now get ₹20 crore — an increase from the current ₹2 crore — to host international events, provided there is participation from at least 12 nations, it has been learnt.