2010 Games budget is a waste: Aiyar

NEW DELHI: Union Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar thinks the money meant for the 2010 Commonwealth Games will be better spent on promoting sports in the villages.

At a function on Wednesday, he said: “From an initial budget of Rs150 crore (he meant Rs1,500 crore, the original estimate), the cost of the Games has gone up to Rs5,145 crore.”

He said the money would be better spent even if a fourth is invested in the close to 2.5 lakh village councils across the country. “If I ask for Rs1,275 crore for rudimentary sports infrastructure in villages, people reel in horror. But they do not even blink when Rs5,000 crore is asked for the Games.”

He said the 300-million upper crust of the population has no interest in promoting sports for India’s 700-million-strong underbelly. Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi was not available for comment.