The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the establishment of 1,000 Khelo India centres across the country out of which 360 centres have already been notified.
In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, Union minister Anurag Thakur said athletes are being selected under Khelo India scheme and will be provided with an annual financial assistance of ₹ 6.28 lakh. As many as 236 sports academies are being accredited across the country under the “Support to National, Regional, State Sports Academies”, he added.
The ministry has formulated the Khelo India scheme, assistance to national sports federations, will amount to winners in international sports events and their coaches, national sports awards, pension to meritorious sports persons, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Sports Welfare Fund, National Sports Development Fund, running sports training centres through Sports Authority of India schemes to promote sports in the country including in rural, tribal and backward areas.
“Under the “Talent Search and Development” vertical of the Khelo India scheme, athletes are identified and selected and provided with the annual financial assistance of ₹ 6.28 lakh per athlete which includes ₹ 1.20 lakh as out of pocket allowance and ₹ 5.08 lakh for other facilities like coaching, sports science support, diet, equipment, consumables, insurance charges,” the Minister said.