Tax holiday extended to boost Games hotel projects

The Union Ministry of Finance has agreed to extend the Five-Year Tax Holiday scheme to Commonwealth Games hotels till July 31.

A request for the same was put in by the Tourism Ministry in February this year and in the recently announced Union Budget, the Finance ministry agreed to the demand.

The scheme earlier applied to hotels that would be completed and operational by March 31.

The Five-Year Tax Holiday is meant for new two, three and four-star hotels coming up in the National Capital Region to accommodate visitors during the Games. The scheme gives special tax discounts for the next five years if hotels complete construction by July 31.

The scheme was introduced on April 1, 2007, and hotels were expected to finish construction by March this year. The global meltdown, however, put a break on the work and hoteliers started demanding extensions.

Welcoming the decision, Tourism minister Kumari Selja said, “The announcement of the government during the Budget speech has set an economic environment that is conducive for tourism and hospitality growth in the country.”

After the recent announcement, the scheme can be availed by two, three and four-star hotels and convention centres in the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the districts of Faridabad, Gurgaon, Gautam Budh Nagar (Noida) under Section 80-ID of the Income Tax Act.

Officials said the incentive has been extended by the government to encourage the completion of the Commonwealth Games hotel projects. The ministry estimates 40,000 rooms in budget hotels, guesthouses and under the Bed & Breakfast scheme would be required during the Games.

After hastening the process of procuring more hotel rooms, the ministry announced in February that 7,307 of 10,540 rooms were complete under the “definite” rooms category.

To fill the gap of rooms required, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are also chipping in. While Haryana will provide 6,700 rooms, the Delhi Development Authority will provide 2,300 rooms while 2,000 will be given by Uttar Pradesh.

In addition, nearly 11,000 rooms would be available in guesthouses in Paharganj and Karol Bagh and another 3,000 under the Bed & Breakfast scheme in Delhi and Haryana.

Stopping Kalmadi at stadium’s parking was protocol, says top cop

Delhi Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal has said Commonwealth Games organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi was stopped at the parking level of Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium as per security protocol.

Dadwal made this point in a letter to the Member of Parliament, who had taken objection at being stopped from taking his vehicle to the stadium’s gate number 1 recently.

Kalmadi had subsequently sent a letter to the city police chief. In his reply, Dadwal pointed out that all security protocol was followed and only heads of states and VVIPs are allowed to go up to gate number 1.

Newsline had reported on March 5 that Kalmadi and International Hockey Federation (FIH) president Leandro Negre’s vehicle was allowed only till the parking stage of the National Stadium.

While Kalmadi had asked the police chief to instruct police officials to allow their vehicle up to gate number 1, where other dignitaries were allowed, Dadwal replied that security is prime concern for the Delhi Police.

“The security protocol was properly followed by the Delhi Police as per international security standards and instructions,” Dadwal said in the letter.

Police sources said similar security format was followed at Beijing Olympics, and the same standards would be followed in the Commonwealth Games starting here on October 3.

“As per international security standards, vehicles of even senior Delhi Police officers, including the commissioner, are allowed till the parking level,” a senior officer said. “Only one vehicle, which is used to ferry the security apparatus, has the pass to go ahead.”

According to the officer, even after showing the official accreditation, all officers and VIPs are being frisked and checked before being let in at the stadiums.

Kalmadi had said in his letter to Dadwal that vehicles of certain dignitaries were allowed up to gate number 1, while the vehicles carrying him and the FIH president were given access “only up to the car parking facility”.

Jat body threatens to disrupt Commonwealth Games

Nearly 5,000 members of the Jat community, under the banner of Akhil Bhartiya Jat Sangharsh Samiti, gathered at the Rally Ground in Sector 25 for its national executive committee meeting on Thursday.

While deciding on the future course of action, members threatened to disrupt the Commonwealth Games to be hosted in Delhi in October this year if Jats were not included in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.

Senior leaders said the community which had been left out of the OBC category in some states and also at the Centre, deserved to get reservation.

In what they called the 'Chandigarh Declaration', members of the executive committee decided to take on the government if their demand was not heeded to. People had come from states like Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh among others.

Speaking on the occasion, national president of the Samiti, Yashpal Malik, said they were being forced to resort to aggression after the one-month period, which they had given to the government, expired on March 10.

"We are recognised as a peasantry class and the Mandal Commission had mentioned Jats in the OBC category. Some states including UP, Delhi, Uttarakhand, HP, MP, Bihar and Gujarat have all included Jats in the OBC category, but states like Haryana, Punjab and J-K have still not done so," Malik told mediapersons.

"In order to create a wave of support, we will hold a Jat Reservation Rath Yatra starting from the Golden Temple in Amritsar and then march through various states. We held an assembly in Delhi on February 8 and had given an ultimatum of a month to the government to look into our demand. But this seems to have been ignored. We have, therefore, assembled here to decide the future course of action," he stated.

Directing criticism towards the members of Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) workers, who are sitting on hunger strike near the rally ground, leaders of the Jat community held the party responsible for the delay in grant of quota in Haryana.

The rally passed off peacefully and the memorandum of demands was received by representatives of the Punjab and Haryana governments.

Be ready for international crooks during Commonwealth Games: Experts tell govt

Don't be surprised if your purse, luggage or other valuables are stolen by some three-piece suit wearing thieves coming from abroad and living in five-star hotels during the Commonwealth Games here this year.

This was what conveyed by a delegation of security experts of Commonwealth Games Federation when they met Home Ministry officials today.

"Visit by international crooks during big sporting events is very common. The security experts told us to be extra cautious about such people who may frequent Delhi during the Games," a Home Ministry official said.

During the meeting, the team told the Ministry officials not to be overzealous in ensuring security and offer enough comfort to the genuine spectators.

"They also suggested to have more access routes with adequate police personnel so that while conducting the security drills, spectators' time is not wasted," the official said.

After his meeting with home secretary Gopal K Pillai, security adviser of the Federation Neil Fergues told reporters that they were satisfied with the steps being taken for holding the event in a safe and secure environment.

"We are satisfied with security arrangements. We have raised a few issues. I am not willing to disclose much except that things are going in right direction," he said.

The Home Ministry has given highest priority to the security of the fortnight-long sporting extravaganza which is scheduled to be held between October 3 and 14 here.

Copycat 2014 logo should be cheaper, says critic

A discount has been demanded for work carried out ion the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games logo amid accusations it is almost identical to another design produced by the same firm.

Former Lord Provost Michael Kelly, who came up with the 1980s “Glasgow’s Smiles Better” campaign, said the logo was so similar to another produced for an arts organisation that some of the £95,000 paid from the public purse should be returned.

Mr Kelly’s intervention came as the design world rallied to accuse critics of the logo of being “puerile and uninformed”, but yesterday one leading cultural commentator derided it as derivative and lacking in originality.

The row followed revelations yesterday that Glasgow-based branding consultancy Marque, which designed the Commonwealth logo unveiled on Monday, had in 2007 created a design for The Common Guild, an arts organisation based in the city.

Both of the designs feature a capital “G” surrounded by two partial circles within a complete circle.

Managing director Mark Noe said at the launch it was “really rooted in integrity and as a graphic design piece is as solid as anything out there”, adding that the company had put a lot of thought and effort into it and that it contained “lots of historic graphic references”.

A source close to The Common Guild, an arts charity that has been using its logo for three years, said that they were “surprised” to see the Commonwealth Games logo.

Sources said it spent “nowhere near” £95,000 on its logo, which it uses as a stamp on all its exhibitions and publications.

Last night the 2014 team and others on the judging panel insisted they were well aware of the Common Guild logo during the selection process, which drew more than 60 entries.

However, Mr Kelly said: “While there’s little chance of these logos clashing, particularly on a world stage where the 2014 branding will be, in these recessionary times the 2014 team would be well justified in demanding a discount.”

Neil Baxter, secretary of The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, said: “It’s colourful, it’s lively but it’s derivative.

“The skill of the designer is to come up with an innovative and original design to fit the brief, and that should not be ‘one we made earlier’.

“I do feel that while people may have a house style or whatever, you should really be avoiding something that is similar to one you did some time ago.

“I would expect a top-quality organisation to come up with something a little more original.”

Frank McAveety MSP, the former Labour culture minister whose Glasgow Shettleston constituency includes many of the Games venues, said the debate would not sidetrack preparations for a successful games.

However, he added: “If I were involved in this process I’d be asking some hard questions right now.”

Judging panel organiser Andy Crummey conceded he would be “telling a lie if [he] said that if you put the two together there isn’t a strong similarity”, but said the 2014 logo would stand the test of time.

The design industry rallied to “defend its profession in the wake of negative comments following this week’s launch”.

Richard Draycott, editor of industry magazine The Drum, said: “It is obvious that the

market still doesn’t understand the value of good design and what it can add to the economic performance of a country, event or brand.

“How can we

educate the market to ensure that such puerile and uninformed debate becomes a thing of the past?”

A Games spokesman said “The Glasgow 2014 brand went through very rigorous testing against existing trademarks and brands.

“We believe there will be no issues arising from any similarity that people might see.”

New Delhi hosts first invitational archery contest before Commonwealth Games

The second day of the first invitational archery contest saw lively marksmanship by participants at the newly set up Yamuna Sports Complex in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The event is regarded as a yardstick to gauge India's preparedness for the Commonwealth Games.

The archery arena at Delhi's Yamuna Sports Complex was thrown open for the test archery competition, which began on March 8.

Over 100 archers from India as well as 10 other countries are taking part in this contest, organised by the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) in collaboration with the Archery Association of India (AAI).

Despite such an international event taking place, the authorities admitted that a major part of the construction work is yet to be completed.

The sports complex was initially scheduled to be ready by December 2009 but got delayed in the construction. Although few of the infrastructure facilities like change rooms and medical centre are yet not completed.

At present, however, only the grandstand, with the capacity of 1,500 spectators, is complete while some work remains on training and competition areas.

India favourites in Commonwealth Championships

With a line-up boasting of Olympic hero Vijender Singh, Commonwealth Games gold medallist Akhil Kumar and Asian champion Suranjoy Singh, India are firm favourites for a second title triumph at the Commonwealth Boxing Championships starting on Friday.

Hit by pullouts by Australia, Canada, Ghana and Pakistan, the event has lost some sheen but with the likes of defending champions England and Scotland along with 15 others in attendance, the level of competition is likely to be good.

Set to be held at the renovated Talkatora Stadium, the tournament is also a test event for the Commonwealth Games scheduled in October this year.

India had won the Commonwealth team championship in 2002 in Glasgow with four golds and three silver medals but settled for the runners-up trophy in 2005 with one gold, two silver and three bronze medals.

"It is not going to be a cakewalk despite the pullouts because teams like England and Scotland have a very good mix of youth and experience but our boys are no less and hopefully they will come good," said national coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu.

World number one Vijender (75kg), who has shot to national fame with historic bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics and World Championships in Milan, is a favourite for the top honours in his category.

"Anybody can be good on a given day but I am confident about my abilities and no matter how tough the competition, I am sure of doing well," 24-year-old Vijender, who was a welter weight (69kg) silver-medallist in Glasgow edition, said.

Akhil, who would compete in the revised bantam weight division of 56kg after feather weight 57kg was abolished, is aiming to set aside a disappointing 2009 in which a nagging wrist injury kept him out of action for most part of the year.

His is likely to be the toughest draw which features the likes of Olympic bronze medallist Bruno Julie of Mauritius. Akhil and Bruno have faced off only once before, in the 2006 Commonwealth Games final, and the Indian came out triumphant on that occasion.

"A tough draw or an easy draw, what matters in the end is the result. I have trained hard and hopefully it would show in the results that I get," the 28-year-old said.

"Competing at home will work to our team's advantage," he added.

Another of India's top medal contenders is Suranjoy (52kg), the reigning Asian champion and the gold medallist at last year's President's Cup where only top eight boxers of the world were invited by the International Boxing Association (AIBA).

The youngest member of the squad, 19-year-old Balwinder Beniwal, a gold medallist from last year's Youth Commonwealth Games, does not have to look too far for motivation as he has his illustrious first cousin Vijender for company in the team.

"I train a lot with Viju bhai and since he is around, I feel very confident about myself. I am not at all nervous and I am confident of winning a gold medal," said the spunky light welter weight (64kg) boxer.

The other members of the squad are no less accomplished. The light weight (60kg) division features Jai Bhagwan, a silver medallist from last year's Asian Championship, while Olympian Dinesh Kumar will be a favourite in the light heavy weight (81kg) category.

"Four months of training, I have to make it count. Winning an international medal is special but doing it in front of your own people is all the more significant," said Dinesh.

The Indian Team: Amandeep Singh (49kg), Suranjoy Singh (52kg), Akhil Kumar (56kg), Jai Bhagwan (60kg), Balwinder Beniwal (64kg), Vijender Singh (75kg), Dinesh Kumar (81kg), Manpreet Singh (91kg), Paramjeet Samota (+91kg).