PSUs asked to chip in as sponsors for Commonwealth Games

The government has asked central PSUs to sponsor the Commonwealth Games even as state-owned firms, including the Railways, have already
committed Rs 200 crore for a "good cause".

While the Indian Railways has made a provision of Rs 100 crore, state-owned NTPC and Central Bank of India have contributed Rs 50 crore each, Secretary in the Department of Public Enterprises Bhaskar Chatterjee said.

With the Games struggling to get sponsorships, Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has asked top profit making PSUs the Maharatnas and Navratnas to contribute for a "good cause".

State-owned Air India, the official carrier of the Games, has chipped in with tickets for officials and players as part of its contribution to the event. Besides, it has also offered to provide two chartered flights for the Games, beginning October 3.

The airline's contribution in kind, tickets and chartered flights, is estimated to be Rs 30 crore in money terms, an official said.

"The Commonwealth Games should be supported as far as possible. We are trying to support the Games," he said, adding, however that the contributions by PSUs were "voluntary".

The support by PSUs would be counted to judge their annual performance targets, Chatterjee said.

Letters to this effect were sent by the DPE last month. The CWG was given a revised budget of Rs 1,620 crore by the Central government as a loan on an understanding that the organising committee would repay the amount after it realises it through sponsorships and sale of TV rights.

The sale of TV broadcasting rights may bring in Rs 250 crore.

"We are expecting Rs 250 crores (from TV rights)," CWG Organising Committee spokesman Lalit Bhanot said. While he did not give the sponsorship amount confirmed so far, he said "ours is a revenue neutral budget and we will try to get it."

From the private sector, Hero Honda has been listed as sponsors while Coca Cola is a co-sponsor.

Noida-based Amity University would be training 30,000 volunteers and 2,500 field staff. The university spokesperson pegged the cost at Rs 15 crore.