WB Khelashree Scheme 2026: West Bengal government launched WB Khela Hobe Scheme, also known as Khelashree Scheme, on 2 August 2021 to support young footballers and sporting clubs across the state. Under this scheme, the state sports and youth affairs department handed over 1 lakh footballs to sports clubs, with clubs registered under the International Football Academy (IFA) getting 10 footballs each.
Note for readers: Khelashree Scheme was a one-time football distribution drive carried out in August 2021 under the earlier state government led by Mamata Banerjee. West Bengal got a new government after the 2026 assembly elections, with BJP's Suvendu Adhikari as Chief Minister. His government has already replaced Khela Hobe Diwas, observed every 16 August, with Ayushman Diwas to mark the state rollout of the Ayushman Bharat health scheme. There is no fresh football distribution or registration process running under Khelashree Scheme at present, so treat this page as background information rather than an active application guide.
WB Khelashree Scheme 2026 Details
Before the 2021 assembly elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave the slogan "Khela Hobe" to take on BJP in the polls. Khela Hobe is a Bengali phrase meaning "the game is on" or "let's play". This slogan connected well with voters, and the then ruling party won the elections again with Mamata Banerjee as Chief Minister. The state government later turned this slogan into a sports scheme for the youth, called Khela Hobe or Khelashree Scheme.
Launch of Khelashree Scheme in West Bengal
At the launch, Mamata Banerjee said the Khela Hobe slogan had become popular and was raised in Parliament too. She mentioned that the state government had already granted ₹5 lakh each to 25,000 sports clubs, and community sports programs were run to take football forward. As part of Khelashree Scheme, the state gave 1 lakh footballs to clubs across districts.
पश्चिम बंगाल खेला होबे योजना Objectives
Main aim of Khela Hobe Scheme was to support sporting talent in the state, mainly football. By giving footballs to registered clubs, the state government wanted youth to get proper equipment to practice and play at the state, national and international level. The scheme was also meant to build sportsmanship and discipline among young players in West Bengal.
Benefits of West Bengal Khela Hobe Scheme
West Bengal state sports and youth affairs department handed over 1 lakh footballs to registered sporting clubs in 2021. Sporting clubs registered with International Football Academy (IFA) got 10 footballs each under the scheme.
Khela Hobe Yojana Beneficiaries
Following groups were covered under West Bengal Khela Hobe Scheme:
- Youth of West Bengal who play or want to play football at the club level.
- Sporting clubs registered with the state or central government and operating within West Bengal.
- Sporting clubs registered with International Football Academy (IFA), which received a higher share of footballs.
Overview of WB Khelashree Scheme 2026
| Name of Scheme | Khela Hobe Scheme or Khelashree Scheme |
| State Name | West Bengal |
| Launch Date | 2 August 2021 |
| Announced by | Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee |
| Objectives | To promote sports, mainly football, in the state |
| Beneficiaries | Youth, registered sporting clubs |
| Benefit | 1 lakh footballs given to sporting clubs |
| Name Taken From | Khela Hobe slogan used before the 2021 assembly elections |
| Current Status 2026 | One-time distribution scheme, no active registration; Khela Hobe Diwas replaced by Ayushman Diwas under the current state government |
Khela Hobe Diwas Replaced with Ayushman Diwas
Mamata Banerjee had declared 16 August as "Khela Hobe Diwas" in 2021, also linking it to the memory of football fans who died in a stampede at Eden Gardens in 1980. West Bengal got a new government after the 2026 assembly elections, where BJP won a clear majority and Suvendu Adhikari became Chief Minister. His government announced that 16 August will now be observed as Ayushman Diwas, to mark 100 days of the new government and the state rollout of the Ayushman Bharat health scheme, instead of Khela Hobe Diwas.
This change is a clear sign that Khela Hobe branding, including Khelashree football distribution, was tied closely to the earlier government's political campaign. As of 2026, there is no confirmed plan from the new state government to run a fresh round of football distribution under this scheme name.
Clubs enlisted under the scheme received footballs made by Refugee Handicraft, an MSME unit, under the "Joyee" brand. The scheme was one part of a larger push by the earlier government to connect with young voters through sports before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
FAQ's
Is Khelashree Scheme still active in 2026?
Football distribution under Khelashree Scheme was a one-time exercise done in August 2021. There is no official update on a fresh round of the scheme under the current state government.
Why was Khela Hobe Diwas replaced with Ayushman Diwas?
After the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections, the new government led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari decided to mark 16 August as Ayushman Diwas instead, linking the date to the state rollout of Ayushman Bharat health scheme rather than the earlier government's sports campaign.
Who got benefit under WB Khela Hobe Scheme?
Registered sporting clubs across West Bengal, including clubs registered with the International Football Academy (IFA), received footballs under the scheme to support young footballers at the club level.
Source / Reference Link: https://hindi.news18.com/news/nation/west-bengal-news-mamata-banerjee-launched-khelashree-scheme-played-football-said-khela-hobe-will-be-dear-to-the-whole-country-3679127.html