In 2007, there was proposal to restructure CWG OC: Maken

New Delhi, Aug 7 (PTI) In view of complaints against the
Commonwealth Games (CWG) Organising Committee headed by Suresh
Kalmadi, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was open to an
idea of restructuring it in 2007, but it did not materialise
as no concrete proposal came forth.
Indian Sports Minister Ajay Maken suggested this as he
insisted that nothing could be done about Kalmadi because he
had been elected OC Chairman by the Indian Olympic Association
(IOA) and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was
bound by the Host City Agreement (HCC) signed by the previous
National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government with the
Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF).
Maken disagreed with the observations of the CAG that the
decision to appoint Kalmadi as the OC Chairman facilitated
conversion of the originally envisaged government-owned OC
into a body outside government control.
"There was a contract between the government of India
and others and the Commonwealth Games Federation which
mandated that the Games would be conducted by the OC set up by
the IOA," he said, referring to the HCC of November 13, 2003.
He noted that Mani Shankar Aiyar had written a letter to
the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on October 23, 2007 and to
the Prime Minister two days later. The then Sports Secretary S
K Arora also wrote a letter to PMO on the issue of OC.
"These three letters raised concern about inadequacy of
government presence in the Executive Board of the OC,
financial profligacy and inadequate compliance with procedure
in OC," he said.
Three reform options were suggested by the Sports
Minister (Aiyar) and Sports Secretary (Arora) -- (A) the OC
would raise its own funding from the banks, (B) the OC could
be given a clear signal to amend its Memorandum of Association
and the financial and administrative guidelines to vest
decision-making in the Executive Board, (C) to direct the OC
to broadbase the Executive Board on the lines of the 1982
Asian Games, Maken said.
Aiyar also suggested appointment of a minister of state
for international sporting events to be designated as the
Chairman of the Organising Committee.
"The prime minister discussed the suggestions of the
Sports Minister (Aiyar) with the Cabinet Secretary, who in
turn discussed them with both the Sports Minister and the
Sports Secretary," Maken said.
Aiyar and Arora agreed to "develop the idea of change in
the institutional structure further and bring the matter for
consideration of the GoM" which was overseeing preparations
for the CWG, he said.
Aiyar participated in the meetings of the GoM, but the
changes proposed in the institutional linkage could not
materialise into concrete proposals of the Sports Ministry
before the GoM, Maken said.
"The suggestion, therefore, that no action was taken on
the reform proposals of the Sports Minister is not correct.
The Sports Ministry was asked to get back with concrete
proposals of restructuring.
"However, for various reasons, including the constant
monitoring of the multifarious tasks and projects, major
restructuring of the OC and its linkage with the Ministry of
Sports could not be taken up," he said.
The OC had been set up as per the Host City Agreement
signed on November 13, 2003 between the central government,
Delhi government, IOA and the CGF.
Under the Agreement, IOA had to establish an OC, which
"shall have legal status and shall delegate the organisation
of the Games to the OC, which shall work in conjunction with
its CGA (IOA), and shall be jointly and severally responsible
with the CGA (IOA) for all commitments including financial
commitments in regard to the organisation and staging of the
Games."
According to it, the IOA would, in accordance with the
"Constitution and with the approval of the CGF, delegate the
organisation of the Games to the OC, which, while working in
partnership with the IOA, will also be directly responsible to
the CGF."
The Agreement further stated, "the IOA acknowledges
that, as a body affiliated to the CGF under Article 11, it is
bound by the CGF documents and subscribes to and supports the
Vision, the Mission and the Code of Conduct.
"The OC, the government and the Host City agree to be
bound by the CGF Documents and to support the Vision, the
Mission and the Code of Conduct."
The Agreement also said that "... the Games are the
exclusive property of the CGF and that the CGF owns all rights
concerning the organisation, exploitation, broadcasting and
reproduction by any means, whatsoever, of the Games and is
entitled to assign or licence all or any of those rights in
whole or in part at its own discretion."