Bhubaneswar: Sports received a significant boost in the Union Budget, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announcing a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening infrastructure, grassroots development, and domestic manufacturing in the sector.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said India has the potential to emerge as a global hub for high-quality and affordable sports goods. “I propose a dedicated initiative for sports goods that will promote manufacturing, research and innovation in equipment design as well as material sciences,” she said.
As part of the broader industrial push, the Finance Minister also announced a ₹10,000-crore SME Growth Fund, aimed at nurturing future champions by incentivising enterprises based on select performance and innovation criteria. The fund is expected to support sports equipment manufacturers and related startups, reducing costs for athletes while strengthening domestic supply chains.
The proposed measures are aligned with the government’s Make in India initiative and are expected to boost indigenous production of sports gear, training equipment, and allied technologies.
Sports development has remained a priority area for the government in recent years, with increased investment in infrastructure, talent identification, and athlete support systems. The latest announcements come at a time when India has expressed interest in hosting major international sporting events in the coming decade and is positioning itself more prominently on the global sports stage.
-OdishaAge
