Commonwealth Games organisers to promote India as the biz hub

The organisers of next year's Commonwealth Games in the capital will try to use the mega sporting event as a platform to promote India as a perfect destination for business opportunities.

The Confederation of Indian Industries has joined hands with the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee to host business promotion meets across all the 71 Commonwealth countries before the event commences in October.

"The CII will organise business promotion weeks in all the countries where the baton relay of the Games takes place," according to a senior official of the Organising Committee.

The official said the sporting extravaganza will provide India an opportunity to showcase its strength and the Committee will try to exploit it to the hilt.

"In London, we will have a business meet, the day after the baton relay takes place. The business meets will be held in all the countries," the official said, adding the business meets will be very helpful for promoting tourism.

The relay will start from Buckingham Palace in London from November and from there it will go to other Commonwealth countries before reaching Delhi in October next year.

CII and the Organising Committee have also partnered together to develop and institutionalise Business Club India, for furthering the economic and business interest of India globally.

Business Club India will strive to draw high-powered business delegations from offshore to India during the event and allow them to leverage this opportunity for transacting business and enjoy the Games.

Asked about security arrangements, he said foolproof security will be put into place during the event.

Lt Governor of Delhi Tejinder Khanna is looking after the security aspect with help from the Union Home Ministry.

The official said 25,000 volunteers would be employed for the mega event and their recruitment will start from July.

The volunteers will be the face of the Games as they will help the authorities in extending various services to athletes and spectators.

The official said the organising committee also expressed satisfaction over the pace of infrastructure projects taken up in the city for the event.

He said almost all the infrastructure projects would be ready by end of the year and remaining ones would be completed by March 31.

In a major relief to real estate firm Emmar-MGF, which is developing the Games Village, the DDA on May 11 decided to invest over Rs 700 crore (Rs 7 billion) in the Games Village.