Games over,Prime Minister orders probe into CWG

The announcement came even as the CAG stepped into the picture to conduct assessment of various projects related to the CWG with officials set to visit all the stadia and go through records.

Significantly,CWG Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi,who has been in the line of fire over the corruption allegations,was snubbed when he was not invited to a felicitation at the Prime Minister’s residence for Indian medal winners.

“The government has decided to constitute a high-level committee under former CAG V K Shunglu to look into all matters relating to organising and conduct of the Commonwealth Games 2010,New Delhi,including to draw lessons from it,” the spokesman said.

The details of terms of reference will be announced in a day or two,the spokesman said.

The developments came as opposition parties,which had held their fire during the 12-day event,stepped up their demand for thorough probe into corruption charges which the Congress said should be done and those guilty,if any,be brought to book.

CAG resumes probe into corruption charges

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) resumed assessment of various projects related to the mega sporting event. It sent its inspection officials to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) office inside the S P Mukherjee stadium,one of the event venues,.

“Now now that the athletes have vacated the venues,we will gradually start sending our inspection officers to all the stadia,” said an official with the audit watchdog.

The CAG had begun assessing the Games’ expenditure in August but had to stop the audit related work in the last week of September as they could not not access CPWD premises inside various stadia.

The government auditor expects to submit the final report to the government by January-end to be presented into the budget session of Parliament in February.

In August,an inspection report of the CAG was critical of the CWG OC over appointment of two consultants for broadcast rights and sponsorship agreements.

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) had also done some preliminary inquiry into various works relating to the games stadia and found alleged financial irregularities. It has asked civic and construction agencies like MCD,NDMC and DDA to clarify and sent action-taken report on its findings.

Congress sources said various Parliamentary committees like the Estimates and Public Accounts Committees could go into the spendings to find if there were any wrong doings.

Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit,who has received kudos for the last-minute salvaging operations before the event started,said whatever has gone wrong will be answerable appropriately.

“If there is any doubt” over any spendings agencies like the CAG,CVC and CBI will look into them. It is normal.

The Prime Minister has made it very very clear,” she said.

Also she said it was a collective effort to have got the event completed successfully and no individual could claim credit.