Sri Lanka has selected 1,500 school athletes to receive monthly nutrition allowances under the government’s Kreeda Shakthi programme, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports said on Monday.
Symbolic awards were presented to 100 students at a launch event at the Ministry, marking the rollout of a scheme aimed at supporting young athletes and strengthening Sri Lanka’s future sporting talent pool, Newswire reported.
Each selected athlete will receive Rs. 10,000 per month from March to December — a total of Rs. 100,000 per beneficiary over the ten-month payment window. Recipients were selected on the basis of performances at the 2025 National School Games, provincial-level competitions and international sporting events.
Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage told the event the government was committed to ensuring that financial difficulties did not prevent talented athletes from pursuing their sporting ambitions.
“We will not allow any talented athlete to stop their journey due to economic hardships or a shortage of sports equipment,” the minister said. “If you face any shortcomings, inform the Ministry directly. We are ready to provide all necessary facilities.”
Kreeda Shakthi is part of a wider effort to channel direct welfare support to talent identified through the school sports pipeline, complementing the federation-led grassroots reforms announced in recent months. The Football Federation of Sri Lanka announced last week that it would establish permanent administrative offices for all 61 member leagues under its “Next Chapter” reform programme.
