CAG audit of CWG Village to begin from Oct 28; report in Nov

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) will start the audit work of Commonwealth Games (CWG) Village here from October 28 to probe allegations of financial irregularities.

Official sources said the CAG will also audit the accounts of Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the expenditure incurred for building residential complexes inside the Village in addition to the alleged undue favours given to Emaar MGF, a leading real estate group, for its construction.

Emaar MGF did not respond to an email query sent by PTI.

The audit process by CAG teams began in the middle of August. However, later it was halted between September 24 and October 14 in view of the Games.

The audit resumed this Friday and memos have been issued to different parties including Delhi government and others.

"At least 10 teams would conduct the audit. Each team has at least three supervisory officials. Three teams have already been pressed into service for the audit of Central Public Works Department (CPWD), DDA, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Public Works Department (PWD), Organising Committee (OC), Delhi government etc," a senior CAG official said.

According to the auditing agency, huge financial irregularities worth crores of rupees have been noticed in various contracts by civic and construction departments.

"CPWD has paid additional amount to a contractor (with regard to construction at S P Mukherjee Swimming Pool) despite the work covered in the original contract. As per preliminary investigations, the difference is of about Rs 200 crore," the official said.

CAG has found service tax underpayments related issues and inflated tender estimates with regards to the swimming pool.

CAG will submit its report in the Parliament session next month.

"We have started auditing the SPM Swimming Pool (built by CPWD which functions under Urban Development Ministry) and the CRPF Kadarpur Shooting Range in Gurgaon," he said.

A team will also be inspecting Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and Indira Gandhi Stadium soon. "Then we would be auditing the Siri Fort Stadium and Yamuna Sport Complex, constructed by the DDA, and the Talkatora Indoor Stadium which comes under NDMC," the CAG official said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has also formed a committee under the chairmanship of former CAG V K Shungloo to probe and submit report within three months on all Games-related financial and construction projects.