Seeking cooperation from all quarters for making the Commonwealth Games a success, Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy today said a total of Rs 28,054 crore have been spent on the games out of which Rs 16,560 crore was given to the Delhi Government for upgrading the capital infrastructure and building of various stadia.

Making an intervention during a debate in the Lok Sabha on the Commonwealth Games, Reddy said of the total of money given to the Delhi Government, only Rs 670 crore has been spent directly on the games -- on building stadia.

"The rest of the money has been spent on infrastructure development of the capital, which is not directly linked to the games," he said.

Giving a break-up of the money spent, the minister said, the Delhi Government has spent on various projects which includes Rs 650 crore for street scaping, Rs 900 crore for development bus depots, Rs 3,000 crore for extension of Metro, Rs 18,000 crore for augmenting DTC bus services and Rs 3,700 crore on flyovers and bridges.

Of the Rs 11,494 crore spent by the centre, Rs 2.934 crore was spent on sports infrastructure and Rs 678 crore on training of teams, while Rs 182 crore has been given to MTNL, Rs 827.85 crore to the Ministry of Urban Development, Rs 487.57 to Information and Broadcasting Ministry and Rs 747 crore to Health Ministry.

Reddy said the government has also given Rs 2,394 crore as loan to the organising committee, which is to be returned by them after the games.

Defending the huge amount of money spent, he said most of the money has been spent of infrastructure development which will remain as the country's legacy long after the games are over.

"If you furnish and paint your house before your daughter's wedding, then the money spent on that cannot be said to be part of the dowry," he said.

Appealing to all parties to come together and make the games a success, he said, "All of us, cutting across party lines, should rise to make the games successful and spectacular." .


When some Congress members came in support of Gill, Yadav said, "Don't put yourselves into trouble by pleading his case."

In the presence of Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi, he also made certain remarks which were later expunged when Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal took exception.

Akhilesh Yadav (SP) said, "After wasting so much of money in the name of organizing the games, the government has planned fireworks show which would cost Rs four crore."

"When government has already wasted so much money, why should they waste more money on fireworks," he asked.

He pointed out that renovation works have not been completed so far. Citing an example of Shivaji stadium where pre-qualification tests were to be conducted for games, he said, "It is not ready."

Yadav demanded inquiry into the matter saying it involves country's reputation and Rs one lakh crore investment of public funds.

He said, "Seize the passports of all those official who are involved in the games so that they do not escape when an inquiry is ordered."

He said the rates of games tickets are exorbitant at Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000 and Rs 25,000 and added that sale of tickets has evoked poor response.


Asserting that Government will ensure that the corrupt are pursued to the "end of the earth", Reddy said, "we all know that the CVC and other constitutional bodies do their job, but if every primary observation is blown up to a scam, then we cannot function".

"I don't say that corruption has not taken place. No one can say that. All irregularities will be inquired into exhaustively," he said.

"I therefore say with confidence that we will be staging the best Commonwealth Games in history. Some people took the position that a country like India, which has a lot of poverty, should not have hosted the Commonwealth Games," the minister said, adding that though he begged to differ he respected their ideological position.

"But with only a month left, this should not be raised," he said.

Replying to BJP member Kirti Azad comparing him with Mahabharata epic character "Bhishm Pitamaha", Reddy said as of now he would like to be focussed like Arjun.

Reassuring the House that the projects will be ready before the games, he said, "the event can be organised even now".

The Delhi Government has also spent Rs 400 crore on parking facilities, Rs 200 crore on communications and IT and Rs 2,000 crore on power plants, he said.

Reddy said most of the projects will be completed by August 31, barring the Barapullah Nallah project which would be over only by September.