Lok Sabha Question No. 2586 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-09
Subject: Khelo Bharat Niti and National Sports Policy, 2025
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Dr. K Sudhakar, Shri Yogender Chandolia, Shri P P Chaudhary, Shri Rajkumar Chahar, Shri Dharambir Singh, Dr. Sanjay Jaiswal, Shri Shankar Lalwani, Smt. Smita Uday Wagh, Shri Balabhadra Majhi, Shri Manoj Tiwari, Shri Praveen Patel, Shri Bharatsinhji Shankarji Dabhi

## Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports

## Government of India Department of Sports

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2586 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.03.2026

Khelo Bharat Niti and National Sports Policy, 2025

## 2586.     SHRI PRAVEEN PATEL:

DR. K SUDHAKAR:

SHRI MANOJ TIWARI:

SHRI SHANKAR LALWANI:

SHRI BHARATSINHJI SHANKARJI DABHI:

SHRI P P CHAUDHARY:

SHRI YOGENDER CHANDOLIA:

SHRI BALABHADRA MAJHI:

DR. SANJAY JAISWAL:

SHRI RAJKUMAR CHAHAR:

SHRI DHARAMBIR SINGH:

SMT. SMITA UDAY WAGH:

Will the Minister of YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  key  objectives,  priority  areas  and  phased  implementation timeline of the National Sports Policy, 2025 under the Khelo Bharat Niti, particularly for sports development in tribal areas;
- (b) the details of three-year targets fixed for strengthening grassroots centres, identification of players and training of coaches for the next three years, State/UT-wise, particularly in Pali and Nabarangpur Lok Sabha
- sports infrastructure, including district-level sports constituencies for tribal areas;
- (c)  the  manner  in  which  the  policy  envisages  long-term  athlete development  and  structured  preparation  for  the  2036  Olympic Games,  including  identified  priority  disciplines,  high-performance training and provisions for athletes from the Nabarangpur Lok Sabha Constituency;

- (d)  whether  any  district-level  interventions  are  planned  for  the Jalgaon Lok Sabha constituency to promote rural and school-level sports participation;
- (e) whether performance benchmarks or a monitoring mechanism or evaluation framework have been notified to assess outcomes under the  policy,  particularly  for  tribal  areas  and  the  Nabarangpur  Lok Sabha Constituency and, if so, the details thereof;
- (f)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  strengthening sports  infrastructure,  talent  identification  and  training  facilities  in Delhi, particularly in the North-East Delhi Lok Sabha Constituency, if so, the details thereof; and
- (g) whether the Government proposes to establish an internationallevel  sports  training  centre  or  Sports  Authority  of  India  (SAI)  subcentre in Bhiwani-Mahendragarh Lok Sabha Constituency?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS [DR. MANSUKH MANDAVIYA]

- (a): The Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 aims at building a strong, inclusive, and performance-driven sports ecosystem in India. The vision of the Niti is "Sports for Nation Building Harness the Power of Sports for Nation's  Holistic  Development'.  The  key  objectives  of  t he  policy, inter-alia, include ensuring equitable access to sports infrastructure across the country and establishing comprehensive sports programmes  for  all  participation  groups,  from  grassroots  to  elite levels, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, rural areas and women  athletes  from  around  the  country,  and  promoting  social development and inclusion through sports. The policy also includes provisions aimed at strengthening grassroots sports infrastructure and  supporting  early  talent  identification  across  urban  and  rural areas, with a focus on widening access to sporting opportunities. For detailed  objectives  and  features,  Khelo  Bharat  Niti-2025  may  be referred, copy of which is readily available in the public domain on the website of this Ministry at https://yas.nic.in/sites/default/files/Khelo-Bharat-Niti-2025\_0.pdf.
- (b): Implementation of any policy is a continuous process. Further, 'Sports' being a State subje ct, the primary responsibility for

promotion  and  development  of  sports  rests  primarily  with  the respective States/Union Territories. The Union Government supplements  these  efforts,  in  alignment  with  the  National  Sports Policy, through its ongoing schemes and programmes, which operate within defined guidelines and reporting frameworks.

- (c) to (e): The Policy aims to harness the potential of sports to drive excellence, economic growth and social progress while promoting the  overall  wellbeing  of  the  nation's citizens.  Building  upon  the foundations laid by previous initiatives such as the National Sports Policy -2001, the Khelo India Scheme and Target Olympic Podium Scheme  (TOPS),  the  policy  comprehensively  seeks  to  create  an inclusive and robust sporting ecosystem that nurtures talent from the grassroots to the Olympic podium including Olympics 2036. Preparation  for  the  2036  Olympic  Games  is  envisaged  through strengthening  High-Performance  Centres  and  focused  support  to priority  Olympic  disciplines.  Athletes  from  all  regions,  including Nabarangpur  and  Jalgaon  Lok  Sabha  Constituency,  are  eligible  to benefit  under  the  relevant  schemes,  subject  to  selection  and performance criteria.

The policy further emphasizes the implementation of inclusive sports programs across all participation groups stating from the unit level and  extending  to  educational  institutions  like  schools,  colleges, sports programs that cater to different age groups, abilities and skill levels, universities, etc. This involves developing structured ensuring that every individual has access to opportunities.

Additionally, the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), implemented by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, has a clearly defined performance monitoring and evaluation framework to assess athlete progression and outcomes.

- (f):  Under  the  'Creation  and  Up -gradation of Sports Infrastructure' component  of  the  Khelo  India  Scheme  (KIS)  and  National  Sports Development Funds (NSDF), financial assistance have been provided for development of sports infrastructure such as synthetic athletic track, synthetic hockey field, synthetic turf football ground, multipurpose hall, swimming pool etc. have been sanctioned across the country, including in the UT of Delhi. The details of the sports infrastructure  projects  approved  and  their  sanctioned  cost,  funds released and their physical and financial progress, under the KIS and NSDF,  across  the  country  are  available  in  public  domain  on  the

dashboards  of  the  Ministry  at  https://mdsd.kheloindia.gov.in  and http://www.nsdf.yas.gov.in/nsdf-glance.html, respectively. Further, 'Sports' being a State subject, the primary responsibility for promotion  and  development  of  sports  rests  primarily  with  the respective States/Union Territories. The Union Government supplements  these  efforts,  in  alignment  with  the  National  Sports Policy, through its ongoing schemes and programmes, which operate within defined guidelines and reporting frameworks.

(g): At present, no such  proposal is under consideration for establishing  a  new  international  level  training  centre  in  BhiwaniMahendragarh.

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