Khelo India Athletes Receive ₹7.71 Crore in Out-of-Pocket Allowance for Quarter 4, 2023-24

New Delhi: The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has disbursed an Out-of-Pocket Allowance amounting to ₹7.71 crore for 2571 Khelo India Athletes (KIAs) for the fourth quarter of the financial year 2023-24. This release is part of the comprehensive Khelo India Scholarship Scheme, designed to support the holistic development of talented athletes.

Under the Khelo India Scheme’s long-term development program, nearly 3000 athletes are recognized as Khelo India athletes, each receiving an annual out-of-pocket allowance of ₹1,20,000. Additionally, a sum of ₹5 lakh is allocated for training and competition-related expenses for each athlete.

The Quarter 4 disbursement, covering January to March 2024, follows the previous allocations for the first three quarters of the financial year. In total, an amount of ₹30.83 crore has been released for the Khelo India athletes for the entire fiscal year 2023-24.

The Khelo India scheme provides a comprehensive annual scholarship of ₹6.28 lakhs per athlete, encompassing various aspects such as training, coaching, dietary requirements, sports kit, medical insurance, and out-of-pocket allowances.

Breakdown of Amount Released to Khelo India Athletes (2023-24):

Quarter 1 (Q1): 2848 KIAs – ₹7.36 crore
Quarter 2 (Q2): 2684 KIAs – ₹7.81 crore
Quarter 3 (Q3): 2663 KIAs – ₹7.94 crore
Quarter 4 (Q4): 2571 KIAs – ₹7.71 crore
This sustained financial support aims to empower athletes and foster their growth, enabling them to focus on their training and competitive pursuits without financial constraints. The Khelo India initiative continues to be a catalyst for nurturing sporting talent across the country.