Gandhinagar, March 10 (NationPress) The Gujarat administration has earmarked Rs 2,006 crore for the Sports, Youth, and Cultural Activities Department in the state budget, aiming to create Olympic-level facilities and establish Gujarat as a 'global sports hub', as stated by Minister Jitu Vaghani during the Legislative Assembly session on Tuesday.

During the budget discussion for the department, Vaghani emphasized that this allocation demonstrates the government's commitment to enhancing sports infrastructure and fortifying training programs for athletes statewide.

“With the intention of transforming Gujarat into a ‘sports hub’, the double-engine government led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has set aside Rs 2,006 crore this year for sports, youth, and cultural activities, a substantial increase compared to previous allocations,” he remarked.

Out of this total, Rs 1,331 crore is specifically dedicated to the sports sector.

The government is also planning to position Ahmedabad as an “Olympic Ready City” with an investment of Rs 500 crore.

A flagship initiative is the proposed SVP Sports Enclave near the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Occupying 335 acres, the complex will feature an Olympic-standard aquatic center with a capacity for 12,000 spectators, a tennis center with seating for 24,000, and an indoor arena accommodating 18,000.

The minister indicated that additional sports infrastructure is also being established at various sites across the state.

At the Gujarat Police Academy in Karai, a new athletics stadium with a 50,000 spectator capacity and a modern shooting range is under construction over 143 acres.

An 'Olympic Games Village' designed to house 17,500 athletes will also be developed on 135 acres at Bhat in Ahmedabad.

“These are not merely facilities. After hosting major sporting events, this infrastructure will evolve into high-performance training centers available to the youth of Gujarat, enabling them to compete on an international stage,” Vaghani remarked.

The budget allocates Rs 165 crore for the construction of new sports complexes across several districts and Rs 100 crore for Olympic-standard facilities in Karai.

The government also plans to build a world-class hockey stadium at an estimated cost of Rs 90 crore to promote the sport within the state.

Highlighting grassroots sports participation, the minister noted that the number of athletes involved in the state's 'Khel Mahakumbh', initiated in 2010 under the leadership of then Chief Minister Narendra Modi, has surged from 16.5 lakh to 72 lakh by 2025–26.

“Under the In-School scheme, over 1.29 lakh children are receiving sports training in 230 schools across the state. District Level Sports Schools are training more than 5,300 children annually with an expenditure of Rs 95 crore, yielding 170 medals at the national level and 1,938 medals at the state level,” he said.

Vaghani added that athletes from Gujarat secured 117 medals — including 32 gold, 31 silver, and 54 bronze — at the 68th National School Games in 2024–25, organized by the School Games Federation of India (SGFI).

In addition to sports, the government has earmarked Rs 187 crore for the modernization of libraries, which includes the establishment of 12 new libraries and 16 solar-powered libraries in tribal regions.

The prize amount for the 'Sahitya Gaurav Puraskar' has been increased from Rs one lakh to Rs 2 lakh, while the 'Yuva Gaurav Puraskar' has been raised from Rs 51,000 to Rs one lakh.

For cultural preservation, Rs 226 crore has been allocated to the Archaeology and Museums Department for restoration projects at historical sites, including Vadi Medi in Kutch and the Sun Temple at Prabhas Patan.

A museum symbolizing the unity of 562 princely states is in development at Kevadia, alongside a museum dedicated to the life of Lord Krishna being constructed in Dwarka.

Following the discussion, the Gujarat Legislative Assembly approved the department's budgetary requests totaling Rs 2,006 crore.