New Delhi: It is a landmark day for India's efforts to encourage sporting talent and become a hub for sports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday following his government's approval of the 'Khelo Bharat Niti', a national sports policy.
In a post on X, he said this policy is anchored in five pillars: excellence on the global stage, sports for economic development, sports for social development, sports as a people's movement and integration with education through the National Education Policy.
"May Indian sporting talent always flourish," he said.
In his reactions to other key decisions of the Union Cabinet, he said the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) scheme will be a game changer in the world of research and innovation.
He said, "This scheme, with a corpus of Rs. 1 lakh crore will have a major impact on emerging and sunrise sectors. It will also boost private sector participation in the world of R&D." In another post, he said the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme, cleared by the Cabinet, will boost job creation. The focus on manufacturing and incentives for first-time employees will greatly benefit the youth, he added.
The nod to the construction of the four-lane Paramakudi - Ramanathapuram section highway is "great news" for Tamil Nadu's progress, he said.
This will ease traffic congestion and boost economic growth and tourism, he said.
Calling it a "strategic roadmap" for India's elevation into the top five of world sports, the Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Khelo Bharat Niti to create "world-class systems" of coaching and athlete support along with a robust administrative set-up to make the country a strong contender for the 2036 Olympics.
Previously called the National Sports Policy and introduced for the first time in 1984, the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 will supersede the 2001 policy.
It is a "guiding document" to formulate plans and schemes for the betterment of the country's sporting ecosystem.
The Cabinet also approved an Employment Linked Incentive scheme with an outlay of Rs 1.07 lakh crore to create 3.5 crore jobs over the next two years through social security schemes run by the retirement fund body EPFO.
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