**Executive Summary**
This document presents the Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports' response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. †1424 regarding the allocation and progress of the Khelo India Scheme, scheduled to be answered on February 9, 2026. It provides details on fund allocation, utilization, operational schemes, pending proposals from Maharashtra, and efforts to promote grassroots and indigenous sports.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Funds Allocation and Expenditure:**
* Funds are allocated Scheme-wise, not State/UT-wise.
* The document provides a table showing funds allocated and expenditure incurred under the Khelo India Scheme for the last five years (2020-21 to 2024-25) and the current year (2025-26) across the country, including in Maharashtra.
* **Sports Facilities:**
* Details of sports facilities under the Khelo India Scheme (Sports Infrastructure, KIC, KISCE, KIAA) across the country, including Maharashtra, are available on the Ministry's dashboard.
* **Project Proposals:**
* The Ministry continually receives project proposals from State/UT Governments and other entities.
* Proposals are considered for financial support based on completeness, technical feasibility, and fund availability.
* **Development of Sports:**
* The responsibility for sports development, including grassroots and indigenous sports, rests primarily with State/UT Governments.
* The Union Government supplements these efforts and implements schemes for sports development, including:
* Khelo India – National Programme for Development of Sports;
* Assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs);
* Cash Incentives to Medal Winners in International Sports Events and their coaches;
* National Sports Awards;
* Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons;
* Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Program for Sportspersons;
* National Sports Development Fund;
* Running Sports Training Centres through Sports Authority of India (SAI);
* National Centre for Sports Science and Research (NCSSR).
* **Talent Identification:**
* Talent identification and nurturing at the grassroots level are done across the country, including in Maharashtra.
* SAI implements schemes of SAI Training Centres (STC) and Indigenous Games and Martial Arts (IGMA) to identify and nurture talented sportspersons.
* **Promotion of Indigenous Sports:**
* The Khelo India Scheme has a sub-component dedicated to promoting rural and indigenous/tribal games.
* Identified sports include Mallakhamb, Kalaripayattu, Gatka, Thang-Ta, Yogasana, and Silambam.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder:** State/UT Governments
* **Impact:** Primarily responsible for sports development, including grassroots and indigenous sports. Expected to propose projects for funding consideration.
* **Action Required:** Continue to develop and submit project proposals for funding consideration to the Union Government.
**Stakeholder:** Sportspersons
* **Impact:** Benefit from the implementation of the Khelo India Scheme, including talent identification, nurturing, and improved sports infrastructure.
* **Action Required:** Engage with available programmes and platforms to showcase their talents and benefit from available schemes.
**Stakeholder:** Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
* **Impact:** Responsible for managing the Khelo India Scheme and providing financial support to States/UTs.
* **Action Required:** Continue to implement the scheme and consider proposals for financial support from State/UT Governments and other eligible entities.
Key Entities Referenced
Khelo India Scheme: A national programme for development of sports in India.
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports: The Indian government ministry responsible for sports development and youth affairs.
Maharashtra: A state in India where the Khelo India scheme is implemented and specifically mentioned in the document.
Sports Authority of India (SAI): Autonomous organization under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, implementing sports development schemes.
Government of India
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
Department of Sports
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †1424
TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026
Allocation and Progress of the Khelo India Scheme
†1424. SHRI SANJAY UTTAMRAO DESHMUKH:
Will the Minister of YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the funds allocated under the Khelo India Scheme
during the last five years and the current year, year and State/UT-wise,
particularly in Maharashtra;
(b) the details of the funds utilised under the Khelo India Scheme during
the said period, sports and other work-wise particularly in Maharashtra;
(c) the details of the number of schemes which are currently operational
in Maharashtra under the said project, particularly in Washim-Yavatmal
Lok Sabha Constituency, district-wise;
(d) whether any proposal of State Government of Maharashtra for
infrastructure development or assistance to the sportspersons under
Khelo India is pending with the Government and if so, the details thereof;
(e) the details of the steps taken/being taken by the Government to
strengthen grassroots level sports along with promoting traditional and
indigenous sports; and
(f) the details of the steps taken/being taken for the selection of
Sportspersons under the Scheme along with ensuring regional balance
as well?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS
[ DR. MANSUKH MANDAVIYA ]
Page 1 of 3(a) and (b) Funds are allocated Scheme-wise and not State/UT-wise
under the Khelo India Scheme in this Ministry. The details of funds
allocated and expenditure incurred under Khelo India Scheme, during
the last five years and the current year across the country, including in
the State of Maharashtra, are as under:
(amount in ₹ crore)
Financial Year Funds allocated Expenditure incurred
2020-21 328.77 338.06
2021-22 869.00 764.29
2022-23 600.00 596.39
2023-24 880.00 872.20
2024-25 746.54 620.75
2025-26 700.00 628.91
(as on 15.01.2026)
(c) The details of all sports facilities under the Khelo India Scheme, such
as Sports Infrastructure, Khelo India Centres (KIC), Khelo India State
Centres of Excellence (KISCE) and Khelo India Accredited Academies
(KIAA), across the country, including in the State of Maharashtra, are
available in the public domain on the dashboard of the Ministry at
https://dashboard.kheloindia.gov.in.
(d) The receipt of project proposals from the State/UT Governments and
other eligible entities is a continual process. The Khelo India Scheme
caters to the needs of the entire country within its allocated budget for
activities/programmes. The proposals received from the State/UT
Governments and other eligible entities are considered for financial
support, subject to their completeness, technical feasibility, and
availability of funds under the Scheme.
(e) and (f) ‘Sports’ being a State subject, the responsibility of
development of sports, including strengthening grassroots level sports
along with promoting traditional and indigenous sports and selection of
sportspersons along with ensuring regional balance, rests primarily with
the State/Union Territory Governments. The Union Government
supplements their efforts by bridging critical gaps. The Ministry of Youth
Affairs and Sports implements the following schemes for development of
sports in the country, including in the State of Maharashtra:
(i) Khelo India – National Programme for Development of Sports;
(ii) Assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs);
Page 2 of 3(iii) Cash Incentives to Medal Winners in International Sports Events
and their coaches;
(iv) National Sports Awards;
(v) Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons;
(vi) Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Program for
Sportspersons;
(vii) National Sports Development Fund;
(viii) Running Sports Training centres through Sports Authority of
India (SAI); and
(ix) National Centre for Sports Science and Research (NCSSR).
Details of the above schemes are available in the public domain on the
websites of this Ministry and the Sports Authority of India.
Under the “Talent Identification and Development” sub-component of the
Khelo India Scheme, identification and nurturing of sporting talent at the
grassroots levels is done across the country, including in the State of
Maharashtra. In addition, Sports Authority of India (SAI), an
autonomous organisation under the aegis of Ministry of Youth Affairs and
Sports, implements the schemes of SAI Training Centres (STC) and
Indigenous Games and Martial Arts (IGMA) across the country, including
in the State of Maharashtra, to identify talented sportspersons and
nurture them in various age groups.
In addition, one of the sub-components of the Khelo India Scheme,
“Promotion of rural and indigenous/tribal games”, is specifically
dedicated to the development of traditional sports in the country. The
indigenous/traditional sports disciplines of Mallakhamb, Kalaripayattu,
Gatka, Thang-Ta, Yogasana and Silambam have been identified for
promotion by this Ministry under the Khelo India Scheme.
*****
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