Projecting a vibrant sporting culture as a powerful shield against social evils and a means of promoting physical fitness, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Marie Wilson on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) announced the establishment of 10 Olympic Centres of Excellence, with an allocation of ₹50 crore, to help athletes win Olympic gold medals and make the State a sporting powerhouse.

The Minister also announced the government’s decision to introduce one hour of sports and physical activity every day in government and government-aided schools after school hours, instead of the existing provision of two sports periods a week for each class. The government will provide the necessary sports equipment and infrastructure to all government and government-aided schools.

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“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,” he said, explaining the rationale behind introducing daily sports periods. An allocation of ₹1,051 crore has been made for the Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department.

The Minister said the government’s motto was ’Take Up Sports, Give Up Drugs’ and announced it would launch an Integrated Youth Development Programme to instil sporting discipline and civic responsibility among the younger generation.

“By integrating major youth organisations such as the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and the National Service Scheme (NSS) 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.

The Minister also announced an allocation of ₹5 crore to provide world-class training to select school students aged between 8 and 18 who demonstrate aptitude and passion for sports. A further ₹22 crore has been allocated to provide financial assistance to 500 athletes excelling in national and international sporting events.

Mr. Wilson said an allocation of ₹42 crore had been made to conduct the Tamil Nadu Rural Sports Competition to take traditional Tamil sports to the global stage. A further ₹2 crore has been allocated to upgrade the infrastructure at the Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University.