Thaindian News

New Delhi, Sep 9 (IANS) Sports Minister M.S. Gill Thursday said preparations for the October Commonwealth Games were in full swing despite the unusual monsoon playing spoilsport.
Gill met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the morning and discussed the Games preparations at length. He also visited two of the Games venues.

“There was a Cabinet meeting in the morning. I had detailed discussion with the Prime Minister. I visited the Nehru Stadium after that and it is ready. The helium balloon is ready,” said Gill after launching the song on Shera, the official mascot of the Commonwealth Games.

“I also went to the swimming pool complex. The scoreboards have been placed. The work is complete there as well. The Indian swimmers will start practising there from tomorrow. The work at the Yamuna Sports Complex owned by the Delhi Development Authority is also near completion,” said Gill.

“I had a discussion with the prime minister on the arrangements made for the 12,000 athletes and officials who will stay at the Games Village. Ten people have been specially assigned to oversee the Games preparations. The work will be done before the athletes arrive.”

The sports minister said heavy rains in the last two weeks have affected the pace of work at the venues but was hopeful the weather will change in the next ten days.

“The month of August was unusually wet. The normal monsoons are likely to be there by Sep 20. It rained in this month as well. But we expect the weather to be fine by Oct 3.”

He also announced that the money earned from the Shera song will go to the national sports development fund.

“I like the song. I am not going to compare it with A.R. Rahman’s theme song. The people of India will decide. The money earned from the Shera song will be put into the National Sports Development fund,” said Gill.