New Delhi, July 29 (IANS) The expenditure being incurred for the Commonwealth Games is around Rs.11,490 crore, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister M.S.Gill Thursday told parliament.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha to nominated member Mani Shankar Aiyar, Gill gave the detailed breakup of the expenditure.
‘The central government has approved funds to the tune of Rs.2,394 crore to the organising committee for the conduct of Commonwealth Games 2010, including for overlays, timing, scoring and result system and sports equipment,’ he said.
An amount of Rs.4,460 crore has been approved for upgradation, renovation and creation of sports infrastructure, while Rs.2,800 crore have been provided through ministry of home affairs for upgradation of sports and city infrastructure.
In reply to another question, the sports minister said that all Commonwealth Games venues were complete except a weight lifting stadium at Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex which will be completed by July 31 and a table tennis stadium at the Yamuna Sports Complex which will be completed by Aug 15.
Both central and Delhi governments have been attacked on escalating cost of the Commonwealth Games. Slamming the government, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party said that the cost incurred for the Commonwealth Games was to the tune of $17.5 billion, compared to $1 billion incurred in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
Even Aiyar, a former sports and youth affairs minister in the first United Progressive Alliance government, recently termed the games a wastage of money.
