Govt. deputes 11 officers to oversee Games preparations

As the preparations for the XIX Commonwealth Games, that Delhi will host from October 3-14, enter the last lap, the Government today deputed 11 senior officers to various assignments related to the mega event that is being held in the country for the first time.

The officers are currently in Delhi and working in various Ministries/Departments, an official press release said.

The officers would be deputed on part-time basis to oversee the preparations at the major Commonwealth Games venues, to solve coordination problems and bring to the notice of the Secretary, Department of Sport and the Cabinet Secretary issues that require their intervention.

The release from the Cabinet Secretariat said the officers would ensure completion of various assignments in Games venues allocated to them as per the prescribed time lines and furnish progress reports to the Secretary, Department of Sports and Cabinet Secretary on a day-to-day basis.

It said the officers had been empowered to take decision on the spot in order to tie up any loose end or resolve any conflict between different agencies and organisations during preparation for the Games.

"However, they may discuss with Secretary, Sports, while taking such decisions, where such decisions have any financial implications. Decisions taken by these officers would have to be complied with by the executing agencies at the venue level," the release said.

The officers are: Mr Subodh Kumar, Additional Secretary, Department of Telecommunication, Mr S R. Rao, Additional Secretary, Department of Information Techonolgy, Mr R.C. Mishra, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development, Mr Amarjeet Singh, Executive Director, Janasankhya Sthirata Kosh, Ministry of Health, Mr J.S. Deepak, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Mr Rohit Nandan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Mr Shashi Shekar, OSD, Power Trading Corporation Ltd., Dr. Taradatt, Joint Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Mr Gopal Krishna, Secretary, Sports Authority of India, Mr Rajeev Kapoor, Joint Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training and Mr Injeti Srinivas, Joint Secretary Ministry of Sports.

According to the release, Mr Srinivas will look after issues of accreditation and Mr Kapoor will look after the Games Village in addition to Mr Deepak.

"The officers will be released from their additional responsibilities by 15th September, 2010 or on completion of assignments," the release added.

The decision to depute the senior officers to supervise the preparations came five days after Prime Ministeer held a high-level to review the preparations for the Games amid growing complaints of corruption in the organisation of the event and controversies about the delay in completition of many Games-related projects.

Dr Singh directed the concerned Ministries to conduct thorough investigations into all the complaints of procedural and other irregularities in the organisation of the Games and said that all those found should face severe and exemplary puishment.

The alleged scams had figured prominently in recent days in both Houses of Parliament and had occupied a lot of space in the media as the Opposition and many others sought the resignation of Mr Suresh Kalmadi, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Games.

Today's announcement about the deputation of officers was interpreted by some as a move to clip the wings of Mr Kalmadi, but he denied it.

At the August 14 meeting, Dr Singh had observed that there had been slippages in the time schedules of some of the construction works and deficiencies had also been observed in some of the works. He said that, in the run up to the Games, it was important to gain public confidence by instilling order and carrying out effective supervision of the preparation works.

Dr Singh directed the Ministries concerned, the Delhi Government and the Organizing Committee to complete all pending works expeditiously through time-bound action plans and carry out a quality audit of the completed facilities. All the facilities must meet international standards, he stressed.

He directed the Group of Ministers (GoM) set up for the Games, headed by Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy, to meet immediately and frequently thereafter. The GoM was empowered to take all decisions necessary for the smooth conduct of the Games. The GoM will refer any matter that may require further consideration to the Finance Minister for a final decision.

That meeting directed the Cabinet Secretary to liaise closely with the GoM to ensure effective coordination among all the concerned authorities.

In a significant move, the meeting also decided that the Committee of Secretaries headed by the Cabinet Secretary would continue to review implementation and it would have the status of an Empowered Committee. It will have jurisdiction over matters relating to the Organising Committee and a Secretary-level officer of the Cabinet Secretariat will liaise with the Organising Committee on a daily basis, the meeting decided.

The Prime Minister has decided to visit selected venues of the Commonwealth Games in the last week of August.

Significantly, today's announcement came hours after Congress President Sonia Gandhi said that the Government should look into the allegations of malpractices in the organisation of the Games as soon as they are over and spare no one found guilty.

"The Commonwealth Games are just a few days away. This is the time for all of us to come together and ensure their success," Ms Gandhi said in her address to the General Body Meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) here today.

She said the success of the Games was that of the country—not of any party or of any individual.

"The Prime Minister has himself intervened decisively. The prestige of the nation is involved. Let us not forget this even as we take steps to ensure accountability. I trust that as soon as the Games are over the government will look into the allegations of malpractice and spare no one found to be involved in them," she added.

NNN