The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a revamped Khelo India scheme and enhanced assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSFs) with a combined outlay of Rs 36,441 crore for the period 2026-27 to 2030-31. This move reaffirms the government’s commitment to harnessing the power of sports for youth development and nation-building.
This is the country’s most ambitious sports development programme since independence, aiming to provide a major boost to the aspirations of the youths of the country towards sports. The approved outlay is nearly eight times that of the previous Khelo India scheme, reflecting the government’s commitment to making sports a cornerstone of youth development, nation-building and India’s emergence as a global sporting powerhouse.
The revamped scheme is designed to create a seamless pathway for every talented young Indian - from school playgrounds and village sports fields to the Olympic podium. It seeks to ensure that no sporting talent is left undiscovered because of geography, economic background or lack of opportunity. Aligned with the vision of Khelo Bharat Niti and the National Education Policy, the scheme integrates sports with education, fitness, technology and high-performance training.
For the first time, a comprehensive athlete development pathway has been created to support young sportspersons at every stage – from talent identification and scientific training to international competition and Olympic preparation. The scheme establishes an integrated nationwide sports ecosystem comprising National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs), Khelo India Centres of Excellence (KICoEs), SAI Training Centres (STCs), Khelo India Accredited Academies (KIAAs), Khelo India Centres (KICs) and Youth Sports Companies (YSCs) of the armed forces.
To strengthen the school sports ecosystem, 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 enable early identification and systematic nurturing of talented children. The scheme also establishes a clear progression pathway from grassroots competitions to Khelo India, and subsequently to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), enabling deserving athletes to receive world-class training, international exposure and comprehensive support to compete for medals at the highest level.
The revamped Khelo India scheme represents one of the largest investments ever made in India’s sporting future. More than a sports programme, it is a national mission to empower young Indians with opportunity, confidence and excellence. By creating a seamless pathway from grassroots talent to global sporting success, the scheme aims to nurture champions, inspire a culture of fitness, strengthen India’s sporting ecosystem and position the country among the world’s leading sporting nations as it moves towards the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.
