Union Cabinet Approves Rs 36,441 Crore for Khelo India Scheme and National Sports Federations

Key facts

• The Union Cabinet approved a revamped Khelo India Scheme and enhanced assistance to National Sports Federations with a combined outlay of Rs 36,441 crore for 2026-27 to 2030-31.
• The Khelo India Scheme receives Rs 29,054 crore, while Rs 7,387 crore is allocated for National Sports Federations.
• The combined outlay is nearly eight times the previous Khelo India scheme's budget.
• The scheme introduces Khelo India Feeder Schools and Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalayas to integrate sports with mainstream education.
• An Emerging Khelo India Athletes category expands the structured athlete development ecosystem by nearly tenfold.
• The enhanced assistance to National Sports Federations will fund coaching, sports science, modern equipment, international exposure, coaching camps, and foreign experts.
• The programme includes sports cooperation with Global South countries and promotion of India's indigenous sports internationally.
• The revamped scheme aims to create a comprehensive athlete development pathway from grassroots to Olympic preparation, supporting India's bids for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and 2036 Olympics.
• A unified digital sports platform will integrate athlete databases, infrastructure, competitions, and coaching resources.