Syllabus: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation
Background and Policy Context
- The Prime Minister reiterated India’s intent to host the Olympic Games, 2036.
- The announcement builds upon hosting the Commonwealth Games, 2030, and expanding domestic athlete platforms.
- The ambition aligns with sustained investments in infrastructure and high-performance sports development.
Government Initiatives and Budgetary Support
- Key programmes include Khelo India, TOPS, and the Fit India Movement.
- The Union Budget 2025–26 allocated ₹3,794.30 crore to the sports sector.
- A record ₹1,000 crore was earmarked specifically for Khelo India.
- Over 1,000 Khelo India Centres support nearly 3,000 athletes nationwide.
- Support includes coaching, nutrition, equipment, and medical services for grassroots talent.
Why Olympic 2036 Raises Governance Stakes
- The International Olympic Committee emphasises ethical governance, gender equity, and financial transparency.
- Hosting requires large public investment in infrastructure, urban development, and security systems.
- Risks include cost overruns, crony contracts, and underutilised stadium infrastructure.
Institutional and Structural Challenges
- Most National Sports Federations function autonomously with limited athlete representation.
- The National Sports Development Code, 2011 faces resistance over tenure caps and transparency norms.
- Continued politicisation of federations undermines professional decision-making and accountability.
- Absence of athlete-to-administrator pathways weakens policy alignment with performance needs.
- Sports ecosystem suffers from digital and data analytics deficits in performance monitoring systems.
- Persistent regional disparities concentrate medals among resource-rich states in youth competitions.
Lessons and Ongoing Reforms
- The Commonwealth Games, 2010 exposed governance lapses and inefficient project management.
- The Sports Authority of India introduced National Centres of Excellence and a Digital Athlete Database System.
- Expansion of the National Centre for Sports Science and Research strengthens evidence-based coaching.
- The Abhinav Bindra Task Force, 2025 highlighted accountability gaps and outdated administrative training.
Way Forward and Conclusion
- Proposed pillars include professional sports administration, governance reform, athlete mentoring, and data-driven management.
- The Olympic vision requires institutional credibility and administrative capacity alongside financial commitment.