Haryana Launches Mission Olympic 2036 to Groom Child Athletes for Glory

Being recognised as India's leading sporting State, Haryana is now setting up ambitious targets for the 2036 Olympics. The government has launched Mission Olympic 2036 -- Vijayee Bhavah, a long-term talent identification programme aimed at grooming children aged eight to 10 years into world-class athletes capable of winning medals. Initial funding for the programme has been sanctioned by the Finance Department, and implementation will be undertaken by the Sports University.

District-level talent identification is being actively pursued under the One District, One Sport initiative, ensuring that sporting talent from every district -- from Ambala to Nuh -- gets equal opportunities.

The Khelo Haryana App, announced in the Budget, is also being developed to provide athletes with easy access to sports-related information and opportunities.

The Chief Secretary said the state's progress would be measured by its ability to deliver transparent, technology-driven and citizen-centric governance as it strives to become a leader in the national development agenda in line with the vision of 'Viksit Bharat' given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Commissioner and Secretary (Women and Child Development) Shekhar Vidyarthi highlighted the state's significant progress in transforming anganwadi centres into quality early learning institutions for children from birth to six years of age.

More than 4,000 anganwadi centres have been upgraded with pre-school education kits, educational toys, furniture, hygiene materials, and RO drinking water facilities, while 21,962 additional centres have received customised education kits.

A workforce of 25,000 anganwadi workers, trained across all 22 districts with the support of 88 state-level master trainers, is delivering quality care and early learning to lakhs of children daily.

The Chief Secretary directed the Women and Child Development Department to clearly define measurable targets for each actionable item and ensure their timely completion within the stipulated timelines.

The meeting was informed that the NIPUN Bharat Mission would be extended to Grade V by March 2027 and highlighted the ongoing transformation of anganwadi centres into high-quality pre-school education hubs.

To ensure the health and academic tracking of the state's youth, the administration is fast-tracking the issuance of APAAR and ABHA digital IDs for all children in the zero-to-six age group.

Furthermore, the Health Department has been tasked with developing a repository of regional nutritious recipes and ensuring absolute compliance with health protocols for children with severe acute malnutrition.

- IANS