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  • Tenure of CWG OC extended; CAG promises report in 3 months

    Published on October 19, 2010

    The CAG on Monday decided to complete within three months its comprehensive audit into the controversial spending on Commonwealth Games and related projects, while the government extended the tenure of the officials in the Games Organising Committee to help in the investigations.

    Simultaneously, the Central Vigilance Commission has widened its probe and put purchase of medical equipment and selection of tainted project officers for the Games under its scanner to look into whether there was corruption in project execution.

    On the political front, the GoM met in New Delhi on Monday.

    The Group of Ministers (GoM) chaired by Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy was attended by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and CWG Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi besides Sports Minister M S Gill.

    In the midst of exchanges between Kalmadi and Dikshit, the GoM decided that senior officials made available to the OC by the government will be allowed to continue till further orders.

    The Sports Ministry will decide when to wind up the Committee, Reddy told reporters saying the job of the GoM has been substantially completed.

    If necessary, they will meet again, he said.

    Reddy, however, refused to answer questions about any blame game between individuals or some people trying to take credit for the success of the mega sporting event

    Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai said the auditors will complete within three months a comprehensive audit of the projects.

    It will be confidential and shared only with Parliament.

    “We will complete the entire audit process of CWG in three moths time. It is going to be a gigantic task. Atleast 20 different organisations will be involved,” he said addressing auditors that included some from abroad.

    “If we take six to eight months time and submit the report in 2012, then the entire purpose of exercise would be lost. We will ensure that results of the audit are made available at the earliest. It is not only about the expenditures incurred but whether the original activity or the objective are fulfilled,” Rai said.

    He said they would also enquire into whether there was a physical outcome, accountability established and whether there has been optimal utilisation of money.

    The CAG is vetting the expenditures incurred in different Commonwealth Games related projects.

    The audit process by CAG teams began in the middle of August. However, later it was halted between 24th September and 14th October in view of the Games.

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