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The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday approved the National Sports Policy (NSP) 2025, a landmark initiative aimed at reshaping the country's sporting landscape and empowering citizens through sports.
The new policy supersedes the existing National Sports Policy of 2001 and outlines a visionary and strategic roadmap to establish India as a global sporting powerhouse and a strong contender for excellence at international sporting events, including the 2036 Olympic Games. https://x.com/mansukhmandviya/status/1939986374960328943 After the Cabinet nod, the Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandviya posted on X, "This landmark policy outlines a strategic roadmap to promote sports culture at the grassroots, enhance infrastructure, support athlete development, and establish India as a formidable force in global sports." The NSP 2025 is the outcome of extensive consultations involving Central Ministries, NITI Aayog, State Governments, National Sports Federations (NSFs), athletes, domain experts, and public stakeholders. The policy is anchored on five key pillars. The pillar of excellence on the Global Stage aims to strengthen sports programs from the grassroots to elite levels, including mechanisms for early identification and nurturing of talent. Promote the establishment of competitive leagues and competitions, and develop sports infrastructure in both rural and urban areas. It aims to build world-class systems for training, coaching, and holistic athlete support and enhance the capacity and governance of National Sports Federations. Encourage the adoption of sports science, sports science, medicine, and technology to boost athletic performance. Train and develop sports personnel, including coaches, technical officials, and support staff. The NSP 2025 recognises the economic potential of sports and seeks to promote sports tourism and attract major international events to India. It aims to strengthen the sports manufacturing ecosystem and promote startups and entrepreneurship in the sector. Encourage private sector participation through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and innovative funding initiatives. The policy emphasises the role of sports in driving social inclusion by Promoting participation among women, economically weaker sections, tribal communities, and persons with disabilities through focused programs. Revitalising and promoting indigenous and traditional games. The policy positions sports as a viable career option by integrating it into education, encouraging volunteering, and facilitating dual-career pathways. The policy aims to engage the Indian diaspora through sports. To make sports a national movement, the policy aims to drive mass participation and a culture of fitness through nationwide campaigns and community-based events. Among its other objectives include launching fitness indices for schools, colleges, and workplaces and enhancing universal access to sports facilities. In alignment with the National Education Policy 2020, the NSP 2025 proposes to: Integrate sports into school curricula. Equip educators and physical education teachers with specialised training to promote sports education and awareness. To realise its objectives, the NSP 2025 lays down a comprehensive implementation strategy encompassing: Governance: Establish a robust regulatory framework for sports governance, including a legal framework. It aims to develop innovative financing mechanisms and engage private sector participation through PPPs and CSR. The policy aums to leverage emerging technologies, including AI and data analytics, for performance tracking, research, and program implementation. The NSP 2025 aims to create a national framework with well-defined benchmarks, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and time-bound targets. Model Policy for States: The NSP 2025 will serve as a model for States and Union Territories, encouraging them to revise or formulate their own policies in alignment with national objectives. The policy calls for a whole-of-government approach to integration of sports promotion into the activities, schemes, and programs of all Ministries and Departments to achieve a holistic impact.(ANI)
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