Jammu Kashmir Allocates Rs 55 Crore for Youth and Sports Sector in Budget 2026–27 | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has announced a major push towards youth development through an integrated approach combining sports, culture, fitness and civic engagement, with enhanced funding and expansion of sports infrastructure outlined in the Budget 2026–27.

The Youth Services and Sports sector has been allocated Rs 55 crore for 2026–27, marking an increase of Rs 17 crore over the previous year, the Chief Minister said.

Presenting the budget in the Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the government is prioritising youth development to ensure a brighter future for young athletes across the Union Territory. He said modern sports infrastructure is being developed, with two Centres of Excellence and 92 Khelo India Centres already established so far.

To strengthen digital enablement in the youth and sports sector, the government plans to scale youth registration on the My Bharat portal from 5.5 lakh to 20 lakh. The Chief Minister said a digital athlete ecosystem will be created to track performance from the grassroots to elite level through unique athlete IDs, performance dashboards and verified certificates.

Structured tournament pathways have been institutionalised, with more than 15.39 lakh students participating at various levels. This has resulted in over 2,000 students representing Jammu and Kashmir at the National School Games.

Jammu and Kashmir has also successfully conducted the fifth edition of its flagship winter sports programme, reinforcing its position as India’s premier winter sports destination. The Union Territory hosted the first-ever Khelo India Water Sports Festival, giving momentum to kayaking and other water-based sports.

In addition, Jammu and Kashmir hosted the third Asian Pencak Silat Championship, which saw participation from over 300 athletes representing more than 12 countries.

The Chief Minister said athletes from the Union Territory delivered strong performances at national-level competitions, winning 11 gold, nine silver and 18 bronze medals at the 69th National School Games. Athletes from Jammu and Kashmir also participated in international events, including the Paris Paralympics.

Overall, youth engagement across disciplines reached over 29 lakh in 2025. This included participation in one national-level championship, 20 Union Territory championships, five major leagues and 3,038 community sports programmes. Flagship initiatives such as football and volleyball leagues, snow festivals and the sixth Khelo India Winter Games were also conducted during the year.