The Ministry opted to allot an 80 per cent spike in the funding for national championships, from Rs 51 lakh to Rs 90 lakh, while international events have been allotted Rs 2 crore.
New Delhi: In a major boost to India’s sporting ecosystem, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has announced a significant hike in funding for National Sports Federations (NSFs) to support the organization of national and international events. However, the increased financial assistance comes with an emphasis on professionalising the governance and administration of these bodies.
Under the revised funding structure announced on Thursday, financial support for national championships has been raised by 80%, from ₹51 lakh to ₹90 lakh. Funding for international sporting events held in India has been doubled to ₹2 crore, enhancing the ability of NSFs to host global-level competitions.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, in a media briefing, stated that the revisions are aligned with India’s aspirations to host the 2036 Olympic Games. He noted that rising costs in training, infrastructure, equipment, and athlete welfare, driven by inflation, were also taken into consideration.
High-priority sports such as athletics, badminton, shooting, hockey, tennis, weightlifting, wrestling, archery, and boxing will particularly benefit. Funding for these disciplines under the ‘priority category’ has been increased to ₹75 lakh.
India is set to host key hockey events including the Asia Cup and Junior World Cup later this year.
In a related move, salaries for chief national coaches will rise from ₹5 lakh to ₹7.5 lakh per month, while other coaches will now receive ₹3 lakh per month, up from ₹2 lakh.
However, the enhanced funding brings stricter conditions. NSFs must now allocate at least 20% of their annual budgets toward grassroots development, which will be channelled through their affiliate units focusing on junior and youth athletes.
Additionally, federations in high and priority categories must identify promising senior and junior athletes. These athletes will be trained in accredited academies, with oversight provided by High Performance Directors (HPDs) selected by the federations. These academies must meet standards and will be monitored for training effectiveness.
To support athletes when national camps are not in session, selected individuals will receive a monthly dietary allowance of ₹10,000. All funding to NSFs is facilitated through the National Sports Development Fund.
Mandaviya stressed the need for professional governance across sports bodies. NSFs with annual budgets exceeding ₹10 crore will be required to appoint a High Performance Director, and they may use up to 10% of the funding for hiring CEOs and managerial staff.
“These reforms are intended to create a strong, accountable, and performance-oriented sports ecosystem in India, positioning the country as a future global sporting hub and potential host of the 2036 Olympic Games,” said Mandaviya.
While the changes are ambitious, they may raise concerns regarding government interference. International sporting bodies typically require NSFs to operate independently. However, ministry sources defended the move, citing widespread disorganization within several federations.
“It’s easy to talk about autonomy, but when federations are mismanaged, oversight becomes necessary. At the end of the day, our priority is to ensure that athletes don’t suffer,” a ministry official said
