Parliament Question: Sports Infrastructure in Aspirational Districts

Government of India Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports Department of Sports LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 54 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.07.2026 Sports Infrastructure in Aspirational Districts 54. Dr. Kirsan Namdeo: Will the Minister of YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has undertaken any assessment of the availability of sports infrastructure in rural, tribal and aspirational districts across the country and if so, the details thereof; (b) the details of funds sanctioned released and utilised, along with sports infrastructure created/developed under various Central Government schemes during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise; and (c) the measures taken/being taken by the Government to identify, nurture and provide advanced training to talented sportspersons from rural and tribal areas, including the proposed roadmap for the next three years? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS [ DR. MANSUKH MANDAVIYA ] (a) and (c) ‘Sports’ being a State subject, the responsibility for development of sports, including assessment of sports infrastructure, creation and upgradation of sports facilities, and identification and nurturing of sporting talent in rural, tribal and aspirational districts, rests primarily with the respective State/Union Territory Governments. The Union Government supplements these efforts by bridging the critical gaps. No such assessment by State Government regarding availability of sports infrastructure is received in the Ministry. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports implements the following schemes for the promotion of sports in the country: (i) Khelo India – National Programme for Development of Sports; (ii) Assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs); Page 1 of 2(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. The details of the sports infrastructure projects approved and their sanctioned cost, funds released and their physical and financial progress, under the Khelo India Scheme and National Sports Development Funds (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. 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. In addition, Sports Authority of India (SAI), an autonomous organisation under the aegis of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, implements the various sports promotional schemes across the country, to identify talented sportspersons and nurture them in various age groups. (b) Funds are allocated and released Scheme-wise and not State/UT-wise and component-wise. The details of funds allocated and expenditure incurred under various Sports Development Schemes of the Department of Sports across the country, during the last three years and the current year are as under: (amount in ₹ crore) Financial Year Funds allocated Expenditure incurred 2023-24 2380.86 2329.35 2024-25 2332.50 2136.97 2025-26 2347.14 2228.88 2026-27 1981.35 367.81 (as on 14.07.2026) ***** Page 2 of 2