Ehsaan Yousf
CS directs districts to harness the opportunity for transforming J&K’s sports ecosystem
SRINAGAR, AUGUST 31: Jammu and Kashmir has drawn up an ambitious five-year roadmap to maximise Central assistance under the Khelo India programme, with the Union Territory aspiring to secure around ₹1,000–1,200 Cr during 2026–31 for strengthening sports infrastructure, nurturing talent and building a comprehensive sports ecosystem across the UT.
The roadmap was presented today before the UT Level Coordination Committee (UTLCC) in its first meeting chaired by Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, who called for a focused, district-driven approach to leverage the national programme for creating high-quality sports infrastructure and facilities across Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by ACS, PWD; Commissioner Secretary, Youth Services & Sports Department; Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare; Commissioner Secretary, Education; DG, Youth Services & Sports; DG, Budget; representatives of Planning, Rural Development Department and other concerned departments. Deputy Commissioners participated through video conferencing from their respective offices.
Chairing the meeting, the Chief Secretary directed all Deputy Commissioners to leverage the rechristened Khelo India 2026-31 scheme to create the best possible sports infrastructure and facilities in their respective districts, while ensuring optimal utilisation of existing assets. He called for prompt preparation of comprehensive district sports plans and directed the districts to submit the requisite plans by September 15, 2026.
Dulloo observed that Jammu and Kashmir has consistently demonstrated remarkable sporting talent and stressed the need to provide young athletes with the right platforms, facilities, coaching and exposure to hone their abilities and compete at the highest levels.
He called upon the departments and districts to aspire for maximum admissible funding under the Khelo India programme, with particular emphasis on developing Centres of Excellence and strengthening the sports ecosystem from the grassroots to the elite level.
Presenting the roadmap, Commissioner Secretary, Youth Services & Sports, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, outlined J&K’s strategy to tap the various funding windows under the Khelo India programme and build a coordinated sports development architecture for the next five years.
He reiterated that the roadmap seeks to address the sporting requirements of athletes from grassroots participation in schools to preparation of elite sportspersons capable of contributing to India’s medal tally at the Olympic and international level.
He urged Deputy Commissioners and concerned departments to be proactive and prompt in preparing district-level plans so that Jammu and Kashmir can make optimal use of the national funding opportunities available under the programme.
Dwtailing it out further, he added that the national Khelo India programme carries a total financial outlay of ₹28,489 Cr for 2026–31, including administrative expenses, with the annual allocation rising progressively from ₹3,173 Cr in 2026–27 to ₹9,198 Cr in 2030–31. The roadmap prepared by the Youth Services & Sports Department seeks to position J&K to secure the maximum admissible share from these national funding windows.
The meeting was apprised that the national outlay is structured across key intervention areas covering the entire sports development continuum. The largest window is Khelo India Training Facilities, with an allocation of ₹10,586 Cr, accounting for 37.2 per cent of the total outlay.
This is followed by Strengthening Strategic Sports Assets with ₹4,963 Cr, Sports Infrastructure for Medal Strategy with ₹4,866 Cr, Talent Identification and Development with ₹2,407 Cr, and Sports Competitions and Leagues with ₹2,358 Cr.
Other important windows include State Action Plan for Sports Infrastructure Development (Central Share) with ₹1,400 Cr, Coach and Support Staff Development with ₹748 Cr, Sports Technology with ₹302 Cr, and the Fit India Movement with ₹300 Cr. An additional ₹559 Cr has been earmarked for administrative expenses under this programme.
The funding architecture, comprising both recurring and non-recurring components, provides opportunities ranging from creation and upgradation of sports infrastructure and training facilities to talent identification, competitions, coaching, technology and promotion of fitness.
A major thrust of the new roadmap is on grassroots talent identification and athlete development, with J&K targeting a ten-fold increase in the number of supported athletes.
The strategy envisages deployment of Khel SETU as an integrated platform for mapping and identifying sporting talent across schools and universities, while addressing the existing gap in Physical Education Teachers in government schools by enhancing their capacity through trainings and other courses.
The roadmap also proposes a common four-level coaching framework, systematic skilling of local trainers, community coaches and PETs through E-Khel Paathshala, and focused development of women coaches at local, national and international levels.
Under the proposed Khelo India Training Facilities framework, the roadmap envisages development of Olympic Training Centres at the elite level, upgradation of existing facilities into National Centres of Excellence, and greater participation of accredited private academies through the PPP mode.
It also proposes expansion of Khelo India Centres, introduction of Khelo India Utkarsha Vidyalayas and Feeder Schools, and strengthening of specialised training facilities to create a structured pathway from grassroots participation to elite performance.
Three major technology interventions have been identified in collaboration with local premier technical institutions. These include an AI-based Sports Talent Identification and Athlete Performance Analytics Platform and an AI-enabled Sports Infrastructure and Youth Services Delivery Management System through NIT Srinagar, besides a Digital Youth Health Screening and Preventive Care System through IIT Jammu.
The roadmap envisages a coordinated transformation of Jammu and Kashmir’s sports landscape by combining existing infrastructure, new investments, grassroots talent identification, professional coaching, sports science and technology, with the larger objective of creating a sustainable pipeline of athletes capable of representing the UT and the country at national and international sporting arenas.
