Lok Sabha Question No. 5868 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-30
Subject: Utilisation of Increased SAI Budget
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Shri Rajesh Verma, Smt. Shambhavi, Shri Arun Bharti, Shri Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil

## Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports

## Government of India Department of Sports

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5868

## ANSWERED ON 30.03.2026

Utilisation of Increased SAI Budget

## 5868.     SHRI VISHALDADA PRAKASHBAPU PATIL:

SMT. SHAMBHAVI:

SHRI RAJESH VERMA:

SHRI ARUN BHARTI:

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

- (a)  the  details  of  specific  utilisation  plan  for  the  Rs.  917.38  crore increased allocation to Sports Authority of India (SAI) in Budget 202627 as compared to the previous allocation of Rs. 800 crore;
- (b)  whether  the  additional  national  camps,  high-performance  centres and  international  exposure  training  programmes  are  proposed  to  be funded through the enhanced SAI budget and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  the  details  of  priority  Olympic/Asian  Games  disciplines  receiving focused coaching and competition support through SAI infrastructure;
- (d) the details of sports science facility upgrades including biomechanics laboratories, recovery centres and high-altitude training facilities at SAI regional centres; and
- (e) whether the SAI expansion programme targets operationalising 50 high-performance  centres  across  the  country  by  2030  and  if  so,  the details thereof along with the location prioritisation criteria,

construction timelines and public-private partnership framework thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (DR MANSUKH MANDAVIYA)

(a) The budget allocation for SAI during 2025-26 (RE) is Rs. 880 crore and the tentative BE for 2026-27 is Rs. 917.38 crore. The details are as under:

| Heads    |   Budget Estimate (B.E.) 2025-26 |   Revised Estimate (R.E.) 2025-26 |   Tentative amount of B.E. 2026-27 |
|----------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
| Salaries |                              580 |                               580 |                             650.88 |
| General  |                              200 |                               250 |                             200.39 |
| Capital  |                               50 |                                50 |                              66.11 |
| Total    |                              830 |                               880 |                             917.38 |

The  enhanced  allocation  in  BE  2026-27  is  mainly  on  account  of increased provision under the Salary head and Capital head to  meet establishment expenditure and infrastructure-related requirements of SAI centres.

(b) The enhanced budget of the SAI including under the Assistance to National Sports Federations, is utilized to support additional National Coaching  Camps,  strengthening  of  High-Performance  Centres,  and increased international exposure and training programmes for athletes.

These initiatives are implemented in consultation with National Sports Federations  and  are  aimed  at  providing  world-class  training,  sports science support, and competitive exposure to improve India's performance in major international sporting events.

(c)  The priority disciplines covered under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) implemented by the Sports Authority  of India are as under:

i. Archery ii. Athletics

iii. Badminton iv. Boxing

v. Hockey vi. Rowing

vii. Swimming viii. Shooting

ix. Squash x. Weightlifting

xi. Wrestling xii. Table Tennis

These  disciplines  are  covered  under  the  Target  Olympic  Podium Scheme (TOPS) and receive support as per the scheme guidelines.

Further, for Asian Games, the disciplines covered under Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) are under:

|   1 | Cycling             |
|-----|---------------------|
|   2 | Fencing             |
|   3 | Gymnastics          |
|   4 | Kabaddi             |
|   5 | Tennis              |
|   6 | Sailing/Yachting    |
|   7 | Wushu               |
|   8 | Sepaktakraw         |
|   9 | Kayaking & Canoeing |
|  10 | Surfing             |

Apart from above, for Para-Athletes, the National Centre of Excellence (NCOE),  Gandhinagar,  has  been  identified  as  the  primary  centre  for conducting sports activities. The centre is presently facilitating training in  multiple  disciplines,  namely  Para  Athletics,  Para  Badminton,  Para Table Tennis, Wheelchair Fencing, Para Swimming and Para Powerlifting.

## (d) The details of upgradation of sports science facilities during last five years are as under:

| S. N.          | Name of Work                                                                                                | State          | Type of Infrastructure   |
|----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|--------------------------|
| 2024-25        | 2024-25                                                                                                     | 2024-25        | 2024-25                  |
| 1              | Modification of Gymnastics Practice hall-2 for establishment of Bio-Mechanics lab under NCSSR at IG Stadium | New Delhi      | Sports Science Centre    |
| 2              | Renovation of NCSSR cabs at east plaza, IG Stadium complex                                                  | New Delhi      | Sports Science Centre    |
| Year - 2022-23 | Year - 2022-23                                                                                              | Year - 2022-23 | Year - 2022-23           |
| 3              | Establishment of Integrated High- Performance Centre at SAI NCOE Sonipat                                    | Haryana        | Sports Science Centre    |
| Year - 2020-21 | Year - 2020-21                                                                                              | Year - 2020-21 | Year - 2020-21           |
| 4              | Establishment of Integrated Sports Science Centre and conditioning hall at SAI NS NIS Patiala               | Punjab         | Sports Science Centre    |

Further, SAI Regional Centres such as Patiala, Bengaluru, and Bhopal have  sports  science  facilities  including  biomechanics,  performance analysis  and  sports  medicine  support.  At  present,  sports  science support  systems  are  operational  across  23+  National  Centres  of Excellence (NCOEs) and key SAI centres.

Regarding  high-altitude  training,  SAI  has  established  a  dedicated facility  at  Shilaroo  (Shimla),  Himachal  Pradesh,  comprising  training tracks, recovery infrastructure, and sports science support systems. In addition,  a  hypoxic  chamber  at  SAI  NCOE  Sonepat  is  operational  to simulate altitude conditions and support physiological adaptation.

## (e)  At  present,  following  02  high  performance  centres  are  under construction at SAI Regional Centres:

|   S.No. | Name of Work                                                             | State     | Type of Infrastructure   | Tentative Construction timeline   |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|--------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|       1 | Establishment of Integrated High- Performance Centre at SAI NCOE Sonepat | Haryana   | Sports Science Centre    | 31.05.2026                        |
|       2 | Establishment of Integrated High- Performance Centre at NSSC Bangalore   | Karnataka | Sports Science Centre    | 01.07.2027                        |

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