Odisha Gets 31 New Coaches to Boost Grassroots Sports
Khelo India Scheme leads the charge in enhancing local training and infrastructure
Bhubaneswar: In a significant push for grassroots sports development in Odisha, the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has approved the appointment of 31 coaches for the state. Union Sports Minister Mansukh L. Mandaviya, in a Lok Sabha session on Monday, announced that 22 of these coaches are being deployed under the Centre’s flagship Khelo India Scheme, which focuses on strengthening sports infrastructure, training facilities, and talent identification at the local level.
The remaining nine coaches are being engaged under various sports promotion initiatives of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), further broadening access to quality coaching and mentorship for young athletes.
The announcement came in response to a written question from Koraput MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka. The Minister clarified that the Ministry allocates funds based on individual schemes rather than distributing them state-wise. Maintenance of sports infrastructure, he added, is the responsibility of grantees or implementing agencies.
Funding and Infrastructure Support
The Ministry also released data on allocations and expenditure for sports development schemes over the last four financial years, which include infrastructure projects under Khelo India:
* FY 2025–26: Rs 2,520.53 crore allocated; Rs 531.78 crore spent (as of August 5, 2025)
* FY 2024–25: Rs 2,332.50 crore allocated; Rs 2,136.97 crore spent
* FY 2023–24: Rs 2,380.86 crore allocated; Rs 2,329.35 crore spent
* FY 2022–23: Rs 1,907.69 crore allocated; Rs 1,879.99 crore spent
Mandaviya reiterated that the Centre is committed to nurturing sporting talent at every level, ensuring that promising athletes in states like Odisha receive the coaching, facilities, and opportunities they need to succeed.
Multiple Schemes for Wider Participation
Apart from Khelo India, several other central schemes are contributing to Odisha’s sports growth. These include:
* Assistance to National Sports Federations
* Cash Incentives for International Medal Winners and their Coaches
* National Sports Awards
* Pension for Meritorious Sportspersons
* Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Programme for Sportspersons
* National Sports Development Fund
* Sports Training Centres run by SAI
These programmes aim to strengthen the talent pipeline, create linkages with schools, ensure safe participation for women, and promote inclusion of para-sports.
With the appointment of these 31 coaches, Odisha is expected to witness a stronger presence of trained mentors at the grassroots level, potentially transforming raw talent into national and international achievers in the coming years.
