The Government has launched recently the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 on 01.07.2025, which 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”. To realize this vision, the Niti focuses on several key objectives, which are given below:
- Establish comprehensive sports programs for all participation groups, from grassroots to elite levels.
- Organize sports competitions and leagues at various levels, creating a robust competitive structure.
- Implement physical literacy initiatives to promote a culture of sports and physical activity.
- Develop a robust talent identification and development system to nurture future champions.
- Ensure equitable access to sports infrastructure across the country.
- Provide athlete-centric support systems for the holistic development of sportspersons.
- Promote sports science, medicine and innovation to enhance performance and well-being.
- Strengthen governance and institutional frameworks in the sports sector.
- Revamp funding mechanisms to ensure sustainable development of sports.
- Foster economic growth through sports-related industries and activities.
- Promote social development and inclusion through sports. (xii) Establish sports as a viable career option for youth.
- Encourage mass participation in sports and fitness activities for a healthier nation.
- Develop a robust mechanism to reward and recognize champion athletes as well as retired athletes.
- Develop a framework and guidelines for educational institutions to act as feeder institutes to impart sporting culture.
Khelo Bharat Niti includes provisions to make sports inclusive and affordable. It focuses on bridging the rural-urban gap by improving access to sports training and facilities for athletes from all backgrounds, including women, persons with disabilities, and economically weaker sections. The policy emphasizes the integration of sports with school curricula, community participation, and partnerships with stakeholders to reduce training costs and increase outreach.
‘Sports’ being a State subject, the responsibility for promotion and development of sports, including to extend financial support to aspiring sportspersons/local sports clubs in order to promote sports in rural and semi-urban areas, rests primarily with the respective State/Union Territory (UT) Governments. However, the Union Government supplements their efforts through its various schemes/programmes viz., (i) Khelo India Scheme (ii) Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) (iii) Assistance to National Sports Federations Scheme (iv) Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare program for Sportspersons (v) Scheme of sports fund for Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons, and (vi) Scheme of Cash Incentive to Medal Winners in International Sports Events and their Coaches. Details of all these schemes are available in public domain on the website of this Ministry at https://yas.nic.in/sports/schemes .
This information was given by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.