A meeting convened by the Cabinet Secretary is likely to be held soon to decide on the issue of utilisation of armed forces personnel in organising the Games, sources said.
Defence sources said that as per rules, the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee ought to pay the ministry of defence for any utilisation of services of the armed forces personnel. The organising committee had earlier requested the MoD for deputing of services personnel to help them organise the Games.
But it seems likely that the MoD will depute some of the personnel for this task. As one official pointed out, “It is a national effort and involves the prestige of the country.”
According to some estimates, the organising committee is hoping to utilise the services of a few hundred armed forces personnel in this regard.
Sources in the services confirmed that meetings had taken place recently between the MoD representatives and those of the organising committee for the Games.
“They (the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee) have put forth their request and it is under consideration. It is fairly clear that they desperately need the MoD’s help,” sources said.
But the Army is in a dilemma over the requests as it finds it difficult to spare young officers of the ranks of captain and major for the organisation of the Games, particularly in view of the severe shortfall of officers that it faces. The problem of shortfall of Army officers (estimated at about 11,000) is most acute in the junior ranks. Young officers also play an extremely crucial role on the ground in counter-insurgency operations. The Army will find it easier instead to depute middle-ranking officers of the ranks of Lt. Col. and Colonel to help the Commonwealth Games effort.
Sridhar Kumaraswami