Govt oversees CWG

Cabinet sec Chandrashekhar to oversee Games preparations
New Delhi, Aug 13 (UNI) The government seems to be under pressure to take action against the alleged financial irregularities in the CWG, with reports claiming that cabinet secretary KM Chandrashekar will now oversee the preparations for the Delhi Games, to be held from October 3-14.
The decision came ahead of a crucial meeting of the Congress party's core group this evening, which is expected to take a decision on Suresh Kalmadi's continuance as chairman of the Organising Committee in the wake of the corruption charges being levelled against him.
Meanwhile, sources say that Kalmadi will continue to lead the Organising Committe (OC) as the Centre was reluctant to take action against him until the charges against him are proved.
Today's meeting of the core group, which is the highest decision making body of the Congress, will be attended by the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.
With charges of corruptions and financial irregularities encircling the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, the Congress-led UPA government has come under pressure to take action against Kalmadi, who is currently under scanner over the alleged embezzlement of funds meant for the mega sporting event.
It is also learnt that a section of Congress leaders has pressed the government to take action against Kalmadi and set up an oversight body to oversee the preparations for the October 3-14 Games.

'Kalmadi won't go for now, Cabinet secy to oversee CWG'

Agencies
New Delhi, August 13, 2010

The government has reportedly decided that CWG Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi will not be removed as of now, but a decision will be taken later as new allegations of corruption surfaced against the CWG OC chairman. However, the government has appointed Cabinet Secretary K M
Chandrashekhar to oversee the CWG preparations in the wake of largescale financial irregularities that have been allegedly found. The Congress appears divided over action to be taken against the Pune MP and may defer the decision till the mega event is over.
The Congress core group, the highest decision-making body, led by Congress President Sonia Gandhi and the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, will discuss the issue later on Friday.
In a recent report submitted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to the sports ministry cites over a dozen cases including one where the games Organizing Committee suffered a loss of over 240 million rupees ($5 million) in awarding broadcasting rights.
The report says the rights were awarded at the behest of Mike Fennell, the head of the Commonwealth Games Federation, chief executive Mike Hooper and Suresh Kalmadi, the top Indian organizer.