CWG Games: PAC critical of Cabinet Secretariat role

Looking into Common Wealth Games scam, the Public Accounts Committee today slammed Cabinet Secretariat for putting the government into an "unavoidable controversy" by altering the decision of a group of ministers (GoM) while finalising the minutes of the meeting.
In October 2004, the GoM had decided to set up of an organising committee under the chairmanship of Sports Minister for creation and development of infrastructural facilities, which was later changed by the Cabinet Secretariat while drafting the minutes of the meeting.
"Even though, the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports had written to Prime Minister, pointing out the discrepancy in the minutes, the latter approved the minutes, submitted by the Cabinet Secretary, which is in deviation with the draft minutes submitted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports," PAC Chairman K V Thomas is learned to have told the members of the committee in a meeting today.

The records produced by the Cabinet Secretariat do not indicate what was the original draft minutes sent by the Ministry and at what level the correction was made, he added.
"Thus, the fault seems to lie with the Cabinet Secretariat, who has lost the last opportunity to set the records straight, and thus, landed the government in the avoidable controversy," he said.
It is desirable to exhort the Cabinet Secretariat to be more transparent and accountable to the Cabinet decisions.
PAC chairman also pointed that there was delay in submission of the cabinet note seeking approval of the cabinet for submission of the bid to commonwealth games federation.

"..It is beyond our comprehension why the cabinet note was not prepared and submitted to Cabinet Secretariat for circulation well in advance, so that the entire Cabinet could examine the issue and take an informed decision, keeping in view the consequences of such a decision, involving huge expenditure," the PAC Chairman said.