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The Union Cabinet approved the revamped Khelo India Scheme along with an enhanced Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSFs) scheme, with a total outlay of ?36,441 crore for FY 2026–27 to FY 2030–31.

What is the Revamped Khelo India Scheme?

The Khelo India Scheme is the flagship programme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports aimed at promoting sports culture, identifying grassroots talent, developing world-class sports infrastructure, and creating a structured pathway from grassroots to elite-level sports.

Originally launched in 2016–17 and restructured in 2017–18, the scheme consolidated earlier initiatives such as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan, Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme, and National Sports Talent Search Scheme.

Aligned with the Khelo Bharat Niti, 2025 and the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, the revamped scheme seeks to integrate sports with education and strengthen India's preparations for future international sporting events.

Key Features

• Implementation Period: FY 2026–27 to FY 2030–31.
• Financial Outlay:?36,441 crore, nearly eight times higher than the previous phase.
• Emerging Khelo India Athletes (E-KIAs): Introduces a new athlete category to significantly expand the talent development ecosystem alongside existing Khelo India Athletes (KIAs).
• School-Level Sports Development: Launches Khelo India Feeder Schools (KIFS) and Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalayas (KIUV) to integrate sports into school education and identify talent at an early stage.
• Integrated Training Network: Strengthens a nationwide ecosystem comprising:
  • National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs)
  • Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCEs)
  • SAI Training Centres (STCs)
  • Youth Sports Companies (YSCs) of the Armed Forces.
• National Coach Accreditation Board (NCAB): Establishes a national framework for standardising coaching qualifications and promoting sports science.
• Unified Digital Sports Platform: Creates an integrated digital platform for athlete databases, talent identification, funding, and performance monitoring while expanding the Fit India Movement to remote and border areas.

Significance

The revamped scheme creates a seamless pathway from schools to Khelo India Centres, National Centres of Excellence, and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), ensuring continuous athlete development. Enhanced support to National Sports Federations (NSFs) will strengthen coaching, scientific training, and India's competitiveness in international sporting events.