Gujarat hikes mountaineers' meal allowance to ₹350, adds ₹11.10 lakh annually
Synopsis
Gujarat has more than doubled the daily meal allowance for mountaineering trainees — from ₹150 to ₹350 — at its institutes in Junagadh and Mount Abu, effective April 2027. The ₹11.10 lakh annual addition is a small but telling signal that state sports programmes are beginning to address the nutritional gap for physically demanding disciplines.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat government raised the daily meal allowance for mountaineering trainees from ₹150 to ₹350 per person.
Revised rates take effect from 1 April 2027 .
Total additional annual expenditure: ₹11.10 lakh , benefiting approximately 510 trainees and instructors .
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Mountaineering Training Centre , Junagadh : 230 trainees , additional outlay of ₹3.40 lakh per year.
State Mountaineering Institute , Mount Abu : 280 trainees , additional outlay of ₹7.70 lakh per year.
The two centres together conduct more than 20 mountaineering camps annually under the Commissionerate of Youth Services and Cultural Activities .
The Gujarat government has raised the daily meal allowance for mountaineering trainees and instructors at its two training centres — in Junagadh and Mount Abu — from ₹150 to ₹350 per person, with the revised rates taking effect from 1 April 2027. The move, cleared by the Sports, Youth and Cultural Activities Department, will entail an additional annual expenditure of ₹11.10 lakh and benefit approximately 510 trainees across the two centres.
Centre-wise Breakdown
At the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Mountaineering Training Centre in Junagadh, around 230 trainees attend camps every year. The revised allowance will add ₹3.40 lakh to the centre's annual expenditure. At the State Mountaineering Institute in Mount Abu, approximately 280 trainees participate in programmes annually, with the increase translating into an additional ₹7.70 lakh per year at that institute.
What the Revision Covers
The enhanced allowance applies to both trainees and instructors attending camps at the two centres, which function under the Commissionerate of Youth Services and Cultural Activities. Together, the two institutes organise more than 20 government and non-government mountaineering training camps throughout the year. The revision covers all such camps.
Why the Government Acted
Officials stated that the increase is aimed at improving food facilities and ensuring adequate nutrition for those undergoing physically demanding mountaineering training. Mountaineering involves sustained physical exertion, endurance, and fitness, with trainees spending long hours practising on mountains and challenging rock formations. The government noted that the higher allowance is intended to help trainees and instructors maintain their stamina and physical fitness during training.
Context and Significance
The previous meal rate of ₹150 per day had reportedly remained unchanged for some time, making the revision a more than 133% increase in the daily food budget per person. This comes amid a broader national push to develop adventure sports infrastructure and cultivate elite athletes from non-traditional disciplines. The additional outlay of ₹11.10 lakh annually is modest in absolute terms but signals a renewed focus on welfare conditions for trainees in state-run sports programmes.
The revised allowance is set to come into force at the start of the next financial year, giving both institutes time to plan procurement and catering arrangements accordingly.
Point of View
But the symbolism matters: state-run adventure-sports training has long been underfunded on welfare essentials even as governments talk up elite athlete development. The previous ₹150-per-day rate — covering three meals for someone scaling rock faces for hours — was plainly inadequate, and the delay in revising it reflects a systemic tendency to overlook non-mainstream sports infrastructure. The question is whether this is a one-off correction or the start of a systematic review of trainee conditions across Gujarat's broader sports network.
NationPress
2 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the new meal allowance for Gujarat mountaineering trainees?
The Gujarat government has revised the daily meal allowance from ₹150 to ₹350 per person for trainees and instructors at its mountaineering training centres. The new rate applies at both the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Mountaineering Training Centre in Junagadh and the State Mountaineering Institute in Mount Abu, effective 1 April 2027.
When does the revised meal allowance take effect?
The revised daily meal allowance of ₹350 per person comes into effect from 1 April 2027, giving both institutes time to plan their catering and procurement arrangements.
How many trainees will benefit from this revision?
Approximately 510 trainees and instructors will benefit — around 230 at the Junagadh centre and 280 at the Mount Abu institute. The allowance covers all government and non-government mountaineering training camps organised at the two centres.
What is the additional annual cost to the Gujarat government?
The total additional annual expenditure is ₹11.10 lakh. Of this, ₹3.40 lakh is attributable to the Junagadh centre and ₹7.70 lakh to the Mount Abu institute.
Why did Gujarat increase the meal allowance for mountaineering trainees?
The government cited the physically demanding nature of mountaineering training — which involves long hours of sustained exertion on mountains and rock formations — as the primary reason. The revision is intended to ensure adequate nutrition and help trainees maintain stamina and physical fitness during camps.
