Pariksha SaathiCabinet approves the Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme with an outlay of Rs 1,856.67 crore for 2026 to 2033-34
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme with a total outlay of Rs 1,856.67 crore for the period 2026 to 2033-34, according to a PIB release of 28 October 2026. Announced in the Union Budget 2026-27, the scheme aims to promote investment, manufacturing, innovation and exports and to strengthen India's position in the global sports goods sector, and seeks to strengthen India's sports goods manufacturing base through targeted support for investment, technology adoption, research and innovation, skill development, quality certification and market development; it is aligned with the vision of the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025, Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat. It envisages dedicated Sports Goods Manufacturing Zones (SGMZs) for cluster-based manufacturing, co-locating manufacturers, suppliers, testing facilities, design and prototyping centres and ancillary enterprises; the Zones will be developed through convergence with existing industrial infrastructure under the BHAVYA Scheme and NICDC Industrial Parks. An Anchor Investment Support component will encourage leading domestic and global manufacturers, brands and retail chains to set up manufacturing facilities within the designated Zones, and a Turnover Linked Support component will incentivise higher production, capacity expansion and sustained manufacturing growth; together these interventions are backed by a combined outlay of Rs 1,130 crore. The scheme will also assist the upgradation of existing sports goods manufacturing clusters, including common facilities and shared infrastructure, with emphasis on MSMEs; support manufacturers in obtaining and renewing certifications from International Sports Federations, with an outlay of Rs 105 crore; support the establishment of Centres of Excellence in premier educational and research institutions to promote research in sports equipment, material sciences, protective gear and advanced manufacturing technologies; encourage R&D through convergence with the Anusandhan National Research Foundation; give dedicated support to start-ups in alignment with the Startup India initiative; take up skill development in collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and industry stakeholders; and expand India's presence in international markets through branding, outreach and market development, leveraging the Export Promotion Mission. The release says the enhanced innovation, quality infrastructure and manufacturing capacity under the scheme will complement initiatives such as Khelo India and Fit India, and that the scheme is expected to position India as a globally competitive hub for the design, development and manufacture of sports goods.
Drafted with AI assistance from the official PIB release linked above and checked against it by a second AI pass. Not line-edited by a human.
Learning context
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on 28 July 2025, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said the Government had launched the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 on 01.07.2025, aiming at building a strong, inclusive and performance-driven sports ecosystem in India, with the vision 'Sports for Nation Building - Harness the Power of Sports for Nation's Holistic Development'. Its objectives include comprehensive sports programmes for all participation groups from grassroots to elite levels, competitions and leagues at various levels, physical literacy, a robust talent identification and development system, equitable access to sports infrastructure, athlete-centric support systems, sports science, medicine and innovation, stronger governance and institutional frameworks, revamped funding mechanisms, fostering economic growth through sports-related industries and activities, social development and inclusion, sports as a viable career option for youth, and mass participation in sports and fitness. The reply noted that 'Sports' is a State subject, so the responsibility for promoting and developing sports rests primarily with the State/UT Governments, and that the Union Government supplements their efforts through schemes such as the Khelo India Scheme, the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), Assistance to National Sports Federations, the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Programme for Sportspersons, the Scheme of Sports Fund for Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons and the Scheme of Cash Incentive to Medal Winners in International Sports Events and their Coaches.
Reference: PIB (Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports), 'Khelo Bharat Niti', 28 July 2025
Check yourself: on what date was the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 launched, and what is its vision?
On 01.07.2025; 'Sports for Nation Building - Harness the Power of Sports for Nation's Holistic Development'.
Revision task: from this release, note the scheme's outlay and period, the Sports Goods Manufacturing Zones and the infrastructure they converge with, the two investment components and their combined outlay, the certification outlay, and the research, skilling and export measures; from the note, when the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 was launched, its vision, and the Union schemes that supplement the States' role in sports.
Test yourself
What is the total outlay of the Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme approved by the Union Cabinet for the period 2026 to 2033-34?
Show the answer
Answer: Rs 1,856.67 crore
The Cabinet approved the scheme, announced in the Union Budget 2026-27, with a total outlay of Rs 1,856.67 crore for 2026 to 2033-34. Within it, the Anchor Investment Support and Turnover Linked Support components are backed by a combined outlay of Rs 1,130 crore, and support for obtaining and renewing certifications from International Sports Federations has an outlay of Rs 105 crore.
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