Page 27 - NIS English 16-31 August 2025

COVER STORY Khelta Bharat,
Khilta Bharat

On the field, off the field as well

DDU National Welfare Fund Panchayat Yuva Krida and Training Support
The Central Government has created Sports Campaign National Sports
the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Be it rural environment or remote Development Fund
National Welfare Fund for any areas Panchayat Yuva Krida and Sports has also been set up for
sudden trouble, trauma or equipment Campaign was started to promote better performance at the
and participation in the program sports at the grassroots level. Under international level. It aims
faced by the player or his family. In it, financial assistance is given for the to mobilize resources from
this, one-time ex gratia assistance of development of sports infrastructure both public and private
up to Rs 5 lakh, a monthly pension at the village and block level and for sector to address critical
of Rs 5,000, medical assistance up purchasing equipment and organizing gaps in infrastructure,
to Rs 10 lakh, and assistance of up annual sports competitions. training and athlete support.
to Rs 10 lakh for injuries sustained
during training or competitions is Assistance to National Sports Federations
given to the player. The families This scheme provides financial assistance to federations for training
of deceased players and support of athletes. The norms of the scheme have been revised in May,
personnel like coaches, referees and 2025 to take into account India’s aspiration to host the 2036
physiotherapists can also get financial Olympics. The salary of the chief national coach has been increased
assistance of a maximum of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh per month and other coaches to Rs 3 lakh per month
and Rs 2 lakh, respectively. along with allowances for proper nutrition of the players.

For this, from Khelo India to TOPS, a campaign was SPORTS IS GIVING A NEW FILLIP TO THE
launched to make sports a mass movement in India ECONOMY
with a holistic thinking and approach. In the words of To increase India’s dominance in sports at the in-
PM Modi, “India’s voice will be heard with power in ternational level, sports talents are being identified
the Olympics arena, as such a system has now been and trained at the school level itself. From Khelo
established. Make sports a part of life, develop the India to TOPS Yojana, a whole ecosystem has been
system, families should come forward, society should developed for this. Today, thousands of athletes
come forward, and India should make its name shine from all over the country are taking advantage of
in the world of sports as well.” it. The government’s focus is on new sports along

August 16-31, 2025 || NEW INDIA SAMACHAR 25