Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region, has proposed the ‘One Sport, One State’ approach to strengthen sports development in the North East, during a high-level task force meeting.

What is the ‘One Sport, One State’ idea?

• Each North Eastern state is encouraged to focus on one priority sport discipline.
• The aim is to ensure:
  • Focused investment
  • Specialised coaching
  • Better talent identification
• This approach avoids spreading limited resources thinly across many sports.

Key points from the task force meeting

• The meeting was co-chaired by Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
• Emphasis was laid on:
  • Quality coaching and trained support staff
  • Grassroots-level competitions, from village to state level
  • Structured tournaments to provide regular exposure
  • Preparation of discipline-specific case studies for each state
• Senior officials from:
  • North Eastern states
  • Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region
  • Sports departments
    participated in the discussions.

Why the North East matters in Indian sports

• The region has consistently produced national and international athletes, especially in:
  • Boxing
  • Weightlifting
  • Football
  • Archery
  • Athletics
• However, athletes often face:
  • Lack of infrastructure
  • Limited access to professional coaching
  • Fewer competitive platforms

How this policy can help

• Focused training improves excellence in chosen disciplines.
• Local leagues and competitions widen opportunities for rural youth.
• Inclusive sports development supports participation of women and marginalised communities.
• Long-term goal: build a sustainable sports ecosystem rather than one-time success.

Link with existing initiatives

• Complements national efforts like:
  • Khelo India programme
  • Fit India Movement
• Supports the broader objective of using sports as a tool for youth empowerment and employment.

Exam Hook

Prelims – Statement-based Question

Q. With reference to the ‘One Sport, One State’ approach, consider the following statements:

1. It aims to promote focused investment in selected sports disciplines in each state.
2. The approach was proposed specifically for the North Eastern states of India.
3. It discourages grassroots-level competitions.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer: 1 and 2 only

One-line wrap:
‘One Sport, One State’ seeks to turn the North East’s natural sporting talent into structured excellence through focus, coaching and grassroots support.

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