**Summary:**
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports launched the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 on July 1, 2025. This policy aims to establish a robust, inclusive, and performance-driven sports ecosystem in India, aligning with the vision of "Sports for Nation Building" to harness the power of sports for the nation's holistic development.
The Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 focuses on multiple objectives: establishing comprehensive sports programs from grassroots to elite levels; organizing sports competitions and leagues at various levels; implementing physical literacy initiatives; developing a talent identification and development system; ensuring equitable access to sports infrastructure; providing athlete-centric support systems; promoting sports science, medicine, and innovation; strengthening governance and institutional frameworks; revamping funding mechanisms; fostering economic growth through sports-related activities; promoting social development and inclusion; establishing sports as a viable career option; encouraging mass participation in sports and fitness activities; developing a robust mechanism to reward and recognize athletes; and developing a framework for educational institutions to act as feeder institutes for sporting culture.
The policy prioritizes inclusivity and affordability, 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. It emphasizes the integration of sports with school curricula, community participation, and partnerships with stakeholders to reduce training costs and increase outreach.
While the promotion and development of sports, including financial support to aspiring sportspersons and local sports clubs, primarily rests with the State/Union Territory Governments, the Union Government supplements these efforts through various schemes and programs. These include: Khelo India Scheme, Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), Assistance to National Sports Federations Scheme, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare program for Sportspersons, Scheme of sports fund for Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons, and Scheme of Cash Incentive to Medal Winners in International Sports Events and their Coaches. Details of these schemes are available on the Ministry's website at https:yas.nic.insportsschemes.
This information was provided by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya.
Key Entities Referenced
Khelo Bharat Niti 2025: A sports policy by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in India that aims to build a strong, inclusive, and performance-driven sports ecosystem.
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports: The Indian government ministry responsible for youth affairs and sports.
India: The country where the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 is being implemented to develop the sports ecosystem.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where a question related to sports schemes was addressed.
Khelo India Scheme: A sports scheme by the Union Government of India to promote sports at the grassroots level.
Target Olympic Podium Scheme TOPS: A scheme by the Union Government of India aimed at providing assistance to potential Olympic medalists.
Union Government: The central government of India, which supplements the efforts of State/Union Territory Governments through various schemes and programs related to sports.
Dr Mansukh Mandaviya: The Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports who provided information on sports schemes in a written reply.
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Khelo Bharat Niti
Posted On: 28 JUL 2025 5:13PM by PIB Delhi
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
(cid:108)
levels.
Organize sports competitions and leagues at various levels, creating a robust competitive structure.
(cid:108)
Implement physical literacy initiatives to promote a culture of sports and physical activity.
(cid:108)
Develop a robust talent identification and development system to nurture future champions.
(cid:108)
Ensure equitable access to sports infrastructure across the country.
(cid:108)
Provide athlete-centric support systems for the holistic development of sportspersons.
(cid:108)
Promote sports science, medicine and innovation to enhance performance and well-being.
(cid:108)
Strengthen governance and institutional frameworks in the sports sector.
(cid:108)
Revamp funding mechanisms to ensure sustainable development of sports.
(cid:108)
Foster economic growth through sports-related industries and activities.
(cid:108)
Promote social development and inclusion through sports. (xii) Establish sports as a viable career
(cid:108)
option for youth.
Encourage mass participation in sports and fitness activities for a healthier nation.
(cid:108)
Develop a robust mechanism to reward and recognize champion athletes as well as retired athletes.
(cid:108)
Develop a framework and guidelines for educational institutions to act as feeder institutes to impart
(cid:108)
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.
*****
MG/DK(Release ID: 2149334)