CAG report on CWG unlikely before March 15

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India’s report on the Commonwealth Games held in Delhi last year is unlikely to be come before March 15. The report was earlier slated by February 15.

CAG sources told Business Standard the delay was because of the scale of the task. Indicating the report may not be possible before March 15, they added, “in any case, the report was intended to come during the Budget session and there was no change in that.”

This would certainly be a relief for the government, as the report is now expected to be tabled in Parliament towards the end of the ongoing Budget session. Submission of this report in the beginning of the session would have put pressure on the government to table it at a time which might have affected the critical financial business including presentation of the Railway Budget and the Union Budget.

Amid the controversy raging over CWG expenditures, CAG had indicated in October last year that it would complete within three months a “comprehensive” audit of the projects. The CAG report would include audit of all the projects associated with the Games including those handled by the Delhi government and the central government departments and also the Organising Committee. CAG had earlier stressed that the whole exercise would be completed speedily, so that the results of the audit were made available at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the Shunglu committee set up by the government has already given an interim report on alleged irregularities in awarding broadcasting rights during the Games to the Prime Minister's Office. The term of this panel has also been extended till March 31 for its full report.