The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has undertaken extensive initiatives over the past five years to promote empowerment, accessibility, skill development, and sporting excellence among differently abled youth across India.
Under the Khelo India Scheme, the Promotion of Sports among Persons with Disabilities component has provided focused support. Two editions of the Khelo India Para Games were held in Delhi—in December 2023 and March 2025—featuring participation from 1,068 and 1,233 para athletes respectively. In total, over 2,000 athletes benefited from national-level exposure.
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) is implementing National Centres of Excellence to identify and nurture para athletes, with Gandhinagar serving as the nodal centre for Para Sports. Currently, 286 para athlete positions have been sanctioned, with 183 residential athletes receiving structured training in disciplines including para athletics, badminton, archery, fencing, swimming, powerlifting, and table tennis.
Elite athletes are supported under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), with 61 para athletes—including 21 women—across eight disciplines. Twenty-four Khelo India para athletes competed at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, winning six medals for India. Financial assistance is also provided to recognised federations such as the Paralympic Committee of India, All India Sports Council for Deaf, and Special Olympics Bharat to strengthen training and international participation.
Beyond sports, significant steps have been taken in rehabilitation, education, and skill development. Under the Deendayal Divyangjan Rehabilitation Scheme, fund release rose from ₹83.18 crore in 2020-21 to ₹139.86 crore in 2024-25, benefiting over 34,000 persons annually. The Umbrella Scheme for Scholarships for Students with Disabilities disbursed ₹145.20 crore in 2022-23, supporting 44,162 students across pre-matric, post-matric, top-class, fellowship, and overseas scholarship programmes.
The Assistance to Persons with Disabilities for Purchase or Fitting of Aids and Appliances Scheme reached 3,46,273 beneficiaries in 2023-24 with expenditure of ₹368.44 crore. Vocational rehabilitation has expanded through 24 National Career Service Centres for Differently Abled, increasing intake from 6,999 in 2020-21 to 47,166 in 2024-25. Inclusive skill training is also provided under Skill India Mission schemes, including five specially designed courses under the Craftsmen Training Scheme.
Cross-Disability Early Intervention Centres have served approximately 19.70 lakh beneficiaries since inception. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Training Centre for Disability Sports, Gwalior, has trained over 3,000 para athletes, while the Niramaya Health Insurance Scheme covered around 66,900 beneficiaries in 2025-26, offering coverage up to ₹1 lakh annually.
Sports infrastructure developed by SAI incorporates accessible facilities, including ramps and barrier-free amenities. The Government continues periodic monitoring, reviews, and third-party evaluations to ensure effective implementation and measurable impact for differently abled youth nationwide.
This information was provided by Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
