⇒The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the revamped Khelo India Scheme and an enhanced Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSFs) Scheme with a combined outlay of ₹36,441 crore for the period 2026–27 to 2030–31. The initiative is aimed at strengthening India's sports ecosystem from grassroots to elite levels and supporting the country's long-term ambitions of becoming a global sporting powerhouse.
Key Highlights
- Approved By: Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- Scheme Period: 2026–27 to 2030–31
- Total Financial Outlay: ₹36,441 crore
- Objective: Develop a seamless pathway from grassroots talent identification to Olympic-level excellence.
- Policy Alignment: Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 and National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Major Features
1. Comprehensive Athlete Development Pathway
- The scheme creates an integrated pathway for athletes from talent identification to Olympic preparation through:
- National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs)
- Khelo India Centres of Excellence (KICoEs)
- SAI Training Centres (STCs)
- Khelo India Accredited Academies (KIAAs)
- Khelo India Centres (KICs)
- Youth Sports Companies (YSCs) of the Armed Forces
2. Two New School-Level Initiatives
- Khelo India Feeder Schools (KIFS): Early talent identification through schools.
- Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalayas (KIUV): Integration of sports with mainstream education.
3. Emerging Khelo India Athletes (E-KIAs)
- Introduction of the Emerging Khelo India Athletes (E-KIAs) category.
- Expected to expand India's structured athlete development ecosystem nearly ten-fold.
4. Strengthened Competition Structure
- Support for:
- School and university competitions
- Regional and sports-specific leagues
- National championships
- National Games
- Hosting major international sporting events in India
5. Focus Areas
- Women athletes
- Para-athletes
- Indigenous sports
- Sports for peace, inclusion and community development
6. National Coach Accreditation Board (NCAB)
- A new National Coach Accreditation Board (NCAB) will standardize coaching qualifications and improve coaching standards nationwide.
7. Unified Digital Sports Platform
- A single digital platform will integrate:
- Athlete databases
- Competitions
- Sports infrastructure
- Coaching resources
- Talent identification
- Funding
- Fit India participation
8. Enhanced Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSFs)
- The strengthened ANSF Scheme will support:
- Coaching and sports science
- International exposure
- Modern equipment
- Foreign coaches and experts
- Training camps
- Participation in international competitions
- Sports cooperation with Global South countries
- Promotion of indigenous Indian sports globally
Source: PIB