Tamil Nadu Budget: Daily sports period in schools, Olympic centres get ₹50 crore
Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Marie Wilson on Wednesday announced a series of measures to promote sports and physical fitness, including a daily after-school sports period in government and government-aided schools. The announcement came during the state Budget presentation for 2026-27.
The government will introduce one hour of sports and physical activity every day after school hours, replacing the existing arrangement of two sports periods per week for each class. The minister said the necessary sports equipment and infrastructure would be provided to all government and government-aided schools.
Addressing the Assembly, Mr. Wilson said the state would establish 10 Olympic Centres of Excellence with an allocation of ₹50 crore. These centres are intended to help athletes win Olympic gold medals and make Tamil Nadu a sporting powerhouse, he said.
“True sports development rests on twin pillars: creating world-class champions and fostering a culture of everyday health and fitness among our youth. Sports must begin right from our schools,” the minister said, explaining the rationale for the daily sports period.
The Budget allocates ₹1,051 crore to the Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department. The minister described the government’s motto as “Take Up Sports, Give Up Drugs” and announced an Integrated Youth Development Programme to instill sporting discipline and civic responsibility among younger citizens.
“By integrating major youth organisations such as the National Cadet Corps and the National Service Scheme with the Health, Police and Social Welfare Departments, our government will channel the energy of the younger generation towards sports, community service, and well-being,” he said.
In a move to nurture young talent, the government has set aside ₹5 crore to provide world-class training to select school students aged between 8 and 18 who demonstrate aptitude and passion for sports. Additionally, ₹22 crore has been allocated to provide financial assistance to 500 athletes excelling in national and international sporting events.
The minister also announced ₹42 crore for the Tamil Nadu Rural Sports Competition, which aims to take traditional Tamil sports to the global stage. A further ₹2 crore has been allocated to upgrade infrastructure at the Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University.
The announcements reflect the state government’s focus on building a robust sporting ecosystem from the grassroots level while also supporting elite athletes. The daily sports period in schools is expected to encourage greater participation in physical activity among students and promote healthier lifestyles.
