Govt's flagship project 'Khelo India' receives lion's share in Budget 2024-25 for sports
As the Olympic cycle concludes in Paris this August, and with the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games still two years away, the overall budget for the Sports Ministry has seen a modest increase of Rs 45.36 crore compared to the previous cycle.
FollowIn the Union Budget 2024-25, Khelo India, the government's flagship initiative to promote grassroots sports, received the largest allocation within the sports ministry's budget, with a substantial Rs 900 crore out of the total Rs 3,442.32 crore. This allocation, detailed in the budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday, is Rs 20 crore more than the revised Rs 880 crore from the previous financial year.
As the Olympic cycle concludes in Paris this August, and with the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games still two years away, the overall budget for the Sports Ministry has seen a modest increase of Rs 45.36 crore compared to the previous cycle.
In the previous financial year, the budget for the sports ministry was Rs 3,396.96 crore.
The government has made significant investments in Khelo India over the years, which has played a key role in discovering talent from across the country. In the 2022-23 fiscal year, Khelo India's allocation was Rs 596.39 crore. For the 2023-24 budget, this was initially increased by over Rs 400 crore to Rs 1,000 crore, but it was later revised to Rs 880 crore.
Since the inaugural Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) in 2018, the government has continually expanded the program. In 2020, the ministry introduced the Khelo India University Games and the Khelo India Winter Games, followed by the Khelo India Para Games in 2023.
Numerous Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCE) have been established nationwide to provide top-notch facilities for promising athletes. Many of these athletes are now part of India's Olympic-bound contingent.
The government has increased its support for National Sports Federations (NSFs) by Rs 15 crore, raising the allocation from Rs 325 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 340 crore in the latest budget.
Additionally, the budget for the Sports Authority of India, which oversees the maintenance of sports facilities and manages the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) for athlete preparation, has been boosted from Rs 795.77 crore to Rs 822.60 crore, marking an increase of Rs 26.83 crore.
The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL), responsible for testing, have both seen a modest increase in their budgets. NADA's allocation has risen from Rs 21.73 crore last year to Rs 22.30 crore, while NDTL's budget has increased from Rs 19.50 crore to Rs 22 crore.
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