The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has begun probing the expenditure of `70 crores reportedly incurred by the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) to pay the salaries of personal trainers and their Indian assistants who were hired to work with participating athletes between September 26 and October 13 at the practice venues.
This revelation was made on Monday when the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Mr Vinod Rai, said CAG will complete all its investigations regarding the allegations of corruption in the recently-concluded Commonwealth Games within 90 days.
The matter of such great expense being incurred on trainers and facilities is also under the scanner of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). On Sunday, OC officials were summoned by CVC officials and asked to explain the details of the money spent.
At present CAG is looking into 22 cases of alleged financial irregularities, of which 16 cases are also being probed by the CVC. The CAG has apparently found no justification for the expenditure of `70 crores on hiring trainers and other facilities for the athletes. CAG sources said a detailed audit report on the hiring of these personal trainers will be prepared. CAG has already asked the OC to explain how the hiring of trainers and making available training facilities at the practice venues could lead to the spending of so much money.
Sources in CAG added that so far OC officials have maintained that the training facilities provided to all participating athletes was an expensive affair. “In a
letter written to the investigating CAG officials, the OC had stated that training facilities at the practice venues, which included personal trainers and their assistants for all the athletes, and the equipment used, were an expensive affair,” said a CAG official, adding, “The OC has further stated that since they wanted to provide training facilities matching international standards, it required a budget of `70 crores.”
Addressing the press on Monday, Mr Rai said: “We will complete the entire audit process of CWG in three months time. It is going to be a gigantic task. At least 20 different organisations will be involved.”
Stressing the importance of submitting the audit report “as soon as possible”, Mr Rai said, “If we take six to eight months and submit the report in 2012, the entire purpose of the exercise would be lost. We will ensure that the results of the audit are made available at the earliest.” Mr Rai added that the report would be a comprehensive audit covering all the institutions involved in the Games.
The CAG audit process began in the middle of August but was halted between September 24 and October 14 in view of the Games.