In a major step to promote grassroots sports development, the Haryana government has released Rs 12.72 crore as a nutrition allowance for 74,884 young athletes training in sports nurseries across the state for the 2025–26 session.
The funds have been allocated to all 22 districts to support the nutritional needs of players for the months of July, August, and September, officials from the state sports department said.
Financial Support for Young Athletes
The sports nursery programme is designed to nurture young sporting talent by providing structured training and financial assistance at government-approved training centres.
Under the scheme:
●Players aged 8–14 years receive Rs 1,500 per month as nutrition allowance.
●Players aged 14–19 years receive Rs 2,000 per month to support their dietary needs during training.
Authorities believe the allowance helps ensure that athletes maintain proper nutrition, which is essential for performance and physical development.
District-wise Distribution of Funds
The allocation of funds has been made based on the number of players enrolled in sports nurseries in each district.
For example:
Gurgaon: 2,124 players will receive about Rs 37.56 lakh.
Faridabad: Around 951 players will get nearly Rs 16.68 lakh.
Nuh: About 2,385 players will receive Es 41.27 lakh.
Officials said the funds are transferred directly to players’ bank accounts after verification through the state’s unique ID system for sports nursery participants.
Payments Being Processed Through Direct Transfers
According to Arti Solanki, the payment process has already started and several athletes have received the allowance in their bank accounts.
She added that a few players are currently facing minor banking issues, but the payments are expected to be cleared within the next two to three days after verification.
Hisar Leads in Number of Sports Nursery Players
Official data shows that Hisar has the highest number of players enrolled in sports nurseries in the state.
Other districts such as Kaithal, Jind, Rohtak, and Panipat also have a large number of participants under the programme.
Government Aims to Ensure Zero Payment Delays
Gaurav Gautam said the government is committed to ensuring timely payments for athletes and coaches under the sports nursery scheme.
He emphasized that the department is working toward “good governance in sports” and aims to ensure zero pendency in financial support for athletes.
Officials said the current disbursement covers the first three months of the session, and additional instalments will be released as per the schedule after completing verification procedures.
