Uttar Pradesh: The Central Government has taken a significant step toward strengthening sports infrastructure in government schools by approving a dedicated budget for the development of sports grounds under the PM SHRI initiative. Through the Project Approval Board, a total budget of Rs 15.57 crore has been sanctioned to build and upgrade sports facilities in hundreds of composite schools across Uttar Pradesh. This initiative aims to encourage physical fitness, organized sports, and overall student well-being by ensuring access to quality sports infrastructure within school premises.
Under this ambitious plan, sports grounds will be developed in 532 PM SHRI composite schools spread across 61 districts of Uttar Pradesh. The project has been structured in two phases to ensure smooth execution and effective monitoring. In the first phase, 391 schools have been selected, while the remaining 141 schools will be covered in the second phase. This phased approach allows authorities to manage resources efficiently and address challenges in a timely manner.
In addition to traditional sports grounds, schools will also receive facilities such as open gyms and swings. These additions are designed to promote daily physical activity among students of different age groups and help integrate fitness into regular school routines.
Clear financial guidelines have been laid out to ensure transparency and proper utilization of funds. According to official instructions, each school included in the first phase will receive Rs 2.65 lakh for the development of its sports ground. Schools covered in the second phase will receive a higher allocation of Rs 3.70 lakh per sports ground. The difference in allocation reflects variations in requirements, scale, and infrastructure readiness among schools.
This structured funding model ensures that schools receive adequate resources based on their specific needs while maintaining accountability at every stage of implementation.
State Project Director for Schools, Monika Rani, has formally communicated the project guidelines to all concerned Basic Education Officers. The letter clearly outlines financial provisions, timelines, and technical instructions for execution. Basic Education Officers have been directed to closely supervise the work and ensure that construction adheres to prescribed standards related to safety, durability, and usability.
This direct line of communication between the state project office and district-level authorities is expected to improve coordination and speed up project completion.
The selected schools are located across a wide geographical spread, covering districts such as Agra, Aligarh, Ambedkarnagar, Amethi, Ayodhya, Baghpat, Ballia, Banda, Bareilly, Basti, Bahraich, Bhadohi, Bijnor, Chitrakoot, Deoria, Etah, Farrukhabad, Fatehpur, Firozabad, Gautambuddhanagar, Ghaziabad, Ghazipur, Gorakhpur, Hamirpur, Hapur, Hardoi, Hathras, Jalaun, Jaunpur, Jhansi, Kannauj, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Kaushambi, Kushinagar, Lakhimpur Kheri, Lalitpur, Lucknow, Maharajganj, Mahoba, Mainpuri, Mathura, Mau, Mirzapur, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Pilibhit, Pratapgarh, Prayagraj, Raebareli, Rampur, Saharanpur, Sambhal, Shahjahanpur, Shamli, Siddharthnagar, Sitapur, Sonbhadra, Sultanpur, Unnao, and Varanasi. This wide coverage ensures balanced development and equal opportunities for students in urban, semi-urban, and rural regions.
All Basic Education Officers have been instructed to complete the development work by March 15, 2026. Strict adherence to this deadline is expected to ensure timely availability of facilities for students. Importantly, sports grounds must be developed strictly within the school premises. Selection of land outside the school campus is not permitted under the scheme.
Authorities have been advised to choose level ground within the school, keeping long-term usage, safety, and suitability for sports activities in mind. Where sufficient space is not available in one location, flexibility has been provided to develop facilities at two different points within the campus. For example, a concrete badminton court can be constructed at one location, while open gym equipment and other sports activities can be set up elsewhere.
This initiative is expected to have a lasting impact on school education by integrating physical development with academic learning. Access to well-planned sports grounds and fitness facilities will help students develop discipline, teamwork, and healthy lifestyle habits from an early age. Over time, these improvements can also enhance school enrollment, attendance, and community engagement.
