112 Women Players Given Financial Assistance Under Chief Minister’s State Talent Search Programme Scheme: Youth Affairs And Sports Minister Tinku Roy.

Agartala, Tripura, 1st of September, 2026 : Over the last three financial years, a total of 112 women players in the state have been given financial assistance under the Chief Minister’s State Talent Search Programme. Of these, 52 women players received one-time financial assistance in the 2023-24 financial year, 14 in 2024-25, and 46 in 2025-26. This information was given at the State Legislative Assembly by Tinku Roy, Minister of the Youth Affairs and Sports Department, in reply to a question from MLA Swapna Das Paul on Monday (31st August, 2026). He stated that women players from the state who have been honoured at the national and international levels are given one-time financial assistance under the Chief Minister’s State Talent Search Programme Scheme. He also said that, under the central government’s Khelo India scheme, the Asmita City League is organised to further encourage and inspire women’s participation in sports. In the 2024-25 financial year, 450 women athletes and in the 2025-26 financial year, 1,760 women athletes participated in the Asmita City League competition.

In reply to two separate questions from MLA Mailafru Mog and MLA Ranjit Debbarma, the Minister for the Youth Affairs and Sports Department said that 45 dedicated coaching centres have been set up to train talented players in rural areas, and the department also plans to set up several more coaching centres. Additionally, 13 Khelo India Centres are operational in the state. Arrangements are in place to provide sports equipment to talented athletes through the various dedicated coaching centres and Khelo India Centres in rural areas. Furthermore, talented players from rural areas are being given advanced training by arranging their admission to the Tripura Sports School at Badharghat and Panisagar.

The Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports said that various initiatives have been taken by the state government’s Youth Affairs and Sports Department for the development of sports in rural areas of the state. Since the 2022-23 financial year, various types of sporting events have been organised with the aim of rural sports development. Notable among these is the organisation of various sporting events for school-going players under the age of 14, 17, and 19 years under the School Sports Board. In addition, a Talent Search Programme is organised every year. The Sports Minister said that there are plans to open one open gym in every panchayat for the physical development of boys and girls. At present, open gyms are operational at a total of 96 locations in the state. The department also plans to open 20 more open gyms in the state during the 2026-27 financial year.

In a written reply to an assembly question by MLA Shailendra Chandra Nath, the Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports informed that 9 synthetic football grounds have been constructed by the Youth Affairs and Sports Department in the state. Work on constructing one more synthetic football ground is underway at Gandatuisa sub-division in Dhalai district. Another ground will soon start being built at Kakraban in Gomati district. Of the 9 synthetic football grounds already constructed, 4 are in West Tripura district, 1 in Sepahijala district, 2 in Gomati district, and 1 each in South Tripura district and Khowai district. A total of Rs 46 crore 57 lakh 59 thousand has been spent on constructing these grounds.