The West Bengal government’s first state budget for the financial year 2026-27, presented by Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta, features significant investments in the sports sector, including the establishment of a new sports university, infrastructure renovations, and new stadiums in North Bengal.
With an allocation of Rs 150 crore, the planned sports university is the first of its kind in the state. Indranil Khan, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Department of Youth Services and Sports, stated, “For the first time in the history of West Bengal, there has been a budgetary allocation for a sports university. In West Bengal, we are going to see a new sports university where all kinds of sports disciplines, including Olympic disciplines, then football, cricket, hockey are there, and along with that, such as shooting, athletics, archery, long jump, high jump, etc., for their development, for professional development, their support system will be this sports university because it is our vision that within the next decade, the sportspersons of West Bengal, taking all the support, should not only make West Bengal proud but also become the pride of the entire country and emerge as medalists in various Commonwealth Games, Olympics, etc.”
North Bengal is set to receive a new international outdoor stadium with an athletics track, along with an indoor stadium. A budget of Rs 20 crore has been allocated for these projects. Existing sports facilities, including Kolkata’s Rabindra Sarobar Stadium and Kanchenjunga Stadium, will undergo renovation with an estimated Rs 100 crore dedicated to their development.
Khan emphasized that the sports infrastructure would serve diverse athletes across West Bengal and highlighted the role of the Khelo India programme. “Five crores have been allocated for each assembly to build a stadium there. And along with that, North Bengal, which has been deprived for many years, will also have an international stadium in North Bengal, which will also have an athletic track. And along with that, many stadiums in West Bengal are neglected, which already exist, but are very neglected. For example, there is Rabindra Sarobar Stadium and Kanchenjunga Stadium, for the development and renovation of these stadiums, special allocation. Allocation of 100 crores has been made only for these stadiums.”
Additional sports initiatives include financial support of Rs 1 crore each for sports clubs participating in national-level competitions and the creation of a Rs 50 crore corpus fund to provide prize money for winners of national and international events.
The budget also includes the construction of mini indoor stadiums in every Assembly constituency under the Khelo India scheme, with an allocation of Rs 5 crore per stadium.
Beyond sports infrastructure, the budget introduces the “Bhorsha Kormosuchi” scheme, offering a monthly allowance of Rs 3,000 to unemployed graduates and Rs 2,000 to other eligible unemployed youth aged 21-45 with an annual family income below Rs 1 lakh.
Students from government and government-aided colleges preparing for competitive examinations will receive one-time financial assistance of Rs 30,000. The Swami Vivekananda Merit Scholarship will cover full tuition fees and health insurance for students admitted to the world’s top 100 universities for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
The state is also making preparations to host the National Games, focusing on upgrading infrastructure and promoting overall sports development.
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