Days after anti-corruption watchdog Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) levelled corruption charges against organisers of the Commonwealth Games, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) began vetting the Games' expenditure.
However, it would submit a report by March 2011, well after the October 3-14 Games.
"CAG has started the audit work for CWG-related work payments, contracts and leasing of sports equipment among others. We should be able to submit the report by March 2011," Rekha Gupta, Additional Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General, told reporters here.
The government auditor had in August 2009 submitted an evaluation report to the Prime Minister's Office and the sports ministry pointing out the slow pace of progress of all the projects connected with the Games.
The games is in the thick of allegations of corruption ranging from favouritism in award of contracts to expensive hire of equipment for training and inflation in costs of building contracts.
Besides, an inspection by the CVC has found serious discrepancies like award of work at higher rates to bidders, poor quality of construction and grant of work to ineligible agencies for various Commonwealth Games-related construction projects.
"The CAG would take into account the records prepared by the agencies (CVC, Enforcement Directorate) regarding the work they did. We would see how the balance between the cost and quality has been maintained," an official in the CAG said.
The official noted that despite the award of Games-related work in 2003, no activity was undertaken till 2006.
"Countries get 7 years for putting things in order, testing and verifying and finally for training. There has been a execution delay and lack of preparedness is evident now," he said.
The CAG study last year had also highlighted that all the projects would struggle to finish on time.
As per international guidelines, all CWG projects were to be completed by May 2009 and the last year should have been kept for trial runs.
