Panel that probed CWG scam has cost govt Rs 4 crore

New Delhi: Rs 4 crore. That’s the amount two government officers in India needed to probe one of the biggest scams seen by the country so far – the Commonwealth Games (CWG) scam. The bulk of the spending went to pay professionals. According to documents available with Firstpost, the VK Shunglu committee, appointed by the prime minister to probe corruption during the Commonwealth Games, spent Rs 4 crore under various heads. As for the CWG itself, Rs 11,687.25 crore was the expenditure the government of India approved for the games which took place in Delhi in October last year. [caption id=“attachment_155363” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Not a game anymore. Image courtesy PIB”]  [/caption] The ministry of sports and youth affairs provided this information in response to an RTI application filed by Dr Mohammed Naved Khan, a faculty member with the Aligarh Muslim University. On 23 March 2011, Naved filed an RTI application with the prime minister’s office (PMO). Among other queries, he sought to know the total amount of financial irregularities in conducting the CWG, the number of meetings held by the Shunglu committee, the breakup of total expenses incurred till date and the facts and reasons for deducting or not deducting pension from the salary/stipends paid to each member of the committee. The PMO forwarded the application to the sports ministry. Here is the breakup of the amount as provided by the ministry in a response dated 23 June 2011. * Salary/stipend – Rs 48. 07 lakh * Office expenditure -  Rs 14.85 lakh * Professional expenses - Rs 3.39 crore The response further said that the consultants engaged by the high level committee were paid a compensation package as approved by the committee. The two-member committee, appointed on 25 October last year, comprised former comptroller and auditor general VK Shunglu and former Department of Personnel and Training secretary Shantanu Consul. It submitted their first report to the government on 29 January. In all, the committee has submitted six reports. These are on broadcasting, games village, city infrastructure, games venues, Organising Committee and the main report -  Organisation and Conduct of CWG 2010. “They have still not given me a detailed reply on the amount of rent, manpower and travel expenses incurred,” said the applicant, whose first RTI application with the PMO did not fetch him any response. In May, Naved filed his first appeal with the PMO. The Shunglu committee, in its various reports, has cited instances of irregularities, procedural lapses, delays in the execution of works, financial losses suffered by the government, favours shown by contractors, and failure to follow proper procedure in awarding contracts.