Delhi Games @ Rs 5,200 cr

The Delhi government will get Rs 5,200 crore for infrastructure development, improving sports facilities and organising the Commonwealth Games.

It's final. The Delhi government will get Rs 5,200 crore for infrastructure development, improving sports facilities and organising the Commonwealth Games.

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The amount was finalised on Wednesday following examination of elaborate proposals by various agencies like the DDA, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the organising committee of the Commonwealth Games.

Sources said it was decided that the money would be pooled from the sources of the Centre, the major stakeholder, the DDA through urban development ministry and the Delhi government via the Planning Commission.

Each department will have to submit a detailed proposal for clearance from the Related-expenditure Finance Committee for examination.

The money — to be disbursed over a period of four years — will be mainly for development of infrastructure.

While upgradation of sports facilities will be looked after by the SAI, Delhi government and DDA will jointly work out the city development plan, it has been decided.

Of the total Rs 5,200 crore, the government has earmarked some amount for training of Indian sportsperson and volunteers for the games. "Being the host nation, our effort will be to improve the medal tally as well. For that, specialised training is required," an official said.

The blueprint for utilisation the money will be decided in the next two days in a series of meetings. Union sports minister Mani Shankar Aiyar has called a meeting of chief minister Sheila Dikshit, Lieutenant-Governor B.L. Joshi, who also heads the DDA, and head of Indian Olympic Association, Suresh Kalmadi on how to disburse the money among different organisations and finalise the module for money utilisation.

Sources said once the meetings are over, the stakeholders will be able to stake claim the money through the identified channels.