Khelo India programme was the biggest beneficiary as the allocation for sports was hiked substantially by ₹351.98 crore in the Union Budget.
| Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar
The government’s flagship Khelo India programme to scout and nurture athletes at the grassroots level was the biggest beneficiary as the allocation for sports was hiked substantially by ₹351.98 crore in the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman here on Saturday (February 1, 2025).
The ambitious scheme has been allocated ₹1,000 crore for the financial year 2025-26. This is ₹200 crore more than the grant of ₹800 crore in 2024-25.
Also read:Union Budget 2025 LIVE updates
Overall, the Ministry for Youth Affairs and Sports was designated ₹3,794.30 crore, an overall jump of ₹351.98 crore.
The increase is substantial considering there is no major sporting event like the Olympics, Commonwealth or Asian Games lined up in the next one year.
The assigned amount for assistance to National Sports Federations has also been hiked marginally from ₹340 crore to ₹400 crore.
India is currently pushing through with an ambitious bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games for which a letter of intent has been submitted to the International Olympic Committee.
Published – February 01, 2025 03:10 pm IST
