(MENAFN- KNN India) Lucknow, Dec 1 (KNN) Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary over the weekend launched SportEdge Meerut, a moved aimed at positioning the city in the western Uttar Pradesh as a globally recognised hub for sports manufacturing, innovation and enterprise.

Developed in collaboration with Sports, Physical Education, Fitness & Leisure Skills Council (SPEFL-SC), the British Asian India Foundation (BAIF) and NEST, the initiative will support evidence-based learning, cluster-level operations management and CSR-led interventions.

BAIF and NEST plan to assist over 5,000 nano-entrepreneurs through targeted investments and capacity-building.

Speaking at the launch, Chaudhary noted that India's growing international sporting profile and the upcoming 2030 Commonwealth Games underscore the need for a stronger manufacturing ecosystem.

He said SportEdge will equip artisans, enterprises and youth with modern skills, technology and access to global markets, enabling Meerut to realise its potential as a leading sports hub.

The programme rests on four key pillars: mapping Meerut's sports industry to improve competitiveness, supporting women-led nano units, nurturing local sporting talent through school and academy partnerships, and advancing gender equity by prioritising women in enterprise and sports.

SportEdge aims to help 1,000 women-led nano-enterprises to scale up, raise income levels by at least 25 per cent and ensure a minimum annual earning of Rs 1 lakh per entrepreneur.

The collaborative model is expected to be replicated across future sports clusters. The programme is also projected to create new jobs, improve product standards, expand export capacity and contribute to the broader sports economy.

The Union Minister also inaugurated a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Sports Goods Manufacturing (Badminton Racket Unit) at Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut.

The CoE will offer advanced training, enhance product design and quality, and increase women's participation in skilled manufacturing.

The initiative is expected to benefit MSMEs engaged in sports goods manufacturing by providing better skilling, modern tools and improved market linkages.

Upgraded production standards and cluster-based support may help local units scale faster, diversify products and boost exports.

(KNN Bureau)

MENAFN01122025000155011030ID1110420935