OC term extended by 3 months in view of pending work

The term of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee has been extended by another three months,until September this year. This is the second time the term has been extended.

As per the initial schedule,the term was to end by March. The decision to extend the tenure was taken by the executive board on Tuesday. There are several things that are still pending at present. Also,more importantly,we keep getting queries from different investigating agencies,which we need to reply to, said OC CEO Jarnail Singh.

The OC has not been able to dispose of two key purchases made during the Commonwealth Games the aerostat and kitchen equipment.

The kitchen equipment,worth Rs 11 crore,has been lying untouched at the Games Village for the last eight months. Though it was supposed to be handed over to Northern Railways,the transfer remained stuck due to bureaucratic issues.

Similarly,while the DRDO had expressed its willingness to take the aerostat,it has not been moved because the Customs department is yet to release it. According to Customs officials,it cannot be transferred until the import duty on it is paid.

The OC also has to make payments to 57 domestic companies and 11 foreign ones.

The extension of tenure would,however,mean extra expenditure. The OC currently has 155 employees,and it spends over Rs 1 crore on their salaries. It also pays Rs 1.6 crore as rent to NDMC,and an additional amount for security.

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When asked to comment on this,Singh said they have saved enough money to cover these expenses. We have at least saved Rs 370 crore from the budgetary allocation made by government and,in addition this,we have given the government Rs 435 crore earned through sponsorships and television rights, he said.

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