Games on track,Kalmadi tells PM

He said Singh described hosting the Games as a matter of “national prestige”. For his part,Kalmadi assured the Prime Minister that the Organising Committee was working round the clock to ensure that India delivers a memorable and successful Games.

Kalmadi also briefed the Prime Minister about the recent security conference for the Heads of Missions and the International Security Liaison Conference to be held in the Capital from Wednesday.

“I never had doubts about Government’s commitment to the conduct of the Commonwealth Games and I came away very satisfied with the meeting today,” said Kalmadi,adding that he also invited Singh to visit the headquarters of the OC.

OC joins hands with FICCI
Meanwhile,the Organising Committee signed a memorandum of understanding with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) to set up a Commonwealth Business Club of India in a bid to promote the Games and also use the platform to forge trade relationships with the Commonwealth nations.

“We are confident that the CBCI will help showcase India as a destination for business investments. The members would meet the businessmen of different Commonwealth countries during the Queen’s Baton Rally (QBR),” said Kalmadi after signing the MoU with FICCI secretary general Amit Mitra.

The kick-off ceremony of QBR,which will pass through 71 countries before arriving in Delhi in October next year,is scheduled for next month.

For his part Mitra said: “We are happy to lend a hand to the IOA in their effort to make the Commonwealth Games a successful one. FICCI is also planning to impart soft skill training to volunteers of the mega event and organise numerous business networking events enroute the QBR that will last for 340 days.”

The CBCI has been set up along the lines of Business Club Australia,which was established ahead of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Since then,the BCA has facilitated Aus $ 1.7 billion in export sales.