The cabinet has approved a revised budget of Rs1,620 crore for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, more than doubling the original budget for the mega event. The earlier budget was pegged at Rs767 crore.
The cabinet members, however, raised serious questions on the management of funds and the games projects by the organising committee, sources said.
“The cabinet has approved the proposal of the ministry of youth affairs and sports for a revised budget of Rs1,620 crore. It’s a loan and will be returned at the prevailing government rate of interest,” said Ambika Soni, minister for information and broadcasting.
Soni said changes in factors like sponsorship and TV rights, security, sustainability and environment, and ticketing led to the budget hike.
Moreover, the initial budget had practically no allocation for components like rent for the organising committee headquarters and technology, which are pegged at around Rs175 crore and Rs200 crore respectively now, she said.
“The organising committee will generate a revenue of about Rs1,708 crore from the games,” said Soni.
