DD gets Afro Asian games' telecast rights

HYDERABAD: The Doordarshan will be given the telecast rights for the Afro-Asian games to be held in Hyderabad from October 24 to November 1. The officials of Prasara Bharathi had come forward to telecast the games live within the country.
However, TWI, another international channel, wanted the worldwide telecast rights for the games, but no decision was taken as the government is yet to work out the financial logistics.
The government reportedly asked the doordarshan and TWI authorities to pay a sum of Rs 5 crores for giving telecast rights. The TWI officials reportedly expressed inability to pay the amount, on the plea that the time was not sufficient to mobilise funds and get the sponsors.
On the other hand, Doordarshan already has a committment for Rs 2 crores from the sponsors. At the same time, Doordarshan is expected to spend about Rs 80 crores on the telecast, government sources told the Times Of India. An official announcement is likely in a day or two.
Meanwhile, the government has set the games'' ball rolling by announcing 17 committees to conduct the sporting event. K P Singh Deo will be the chairperson of the technical conduct committee with A S V Prasad, technical advisor of state sports authority as convener. Tourism minister T Srinivas Yadav is the chairperson of reception and state protocol committee with K V Ramanachary, IAS as convener.
Road and buildings ministers T Nageshwara Rao will head the accommodation and hospitality committee with L V Subramanyam, IAS as convener. Up gradation of infrastructure and new stadia will be looked after by sports authority chairman P N V Prasad with Subramanyam. Finance minister Y Ramakrishnudu will head the finance committee with secretary (finance) Preethi Sudan.
Sports minister P Ramulu will take care of game management, stadia and ticketing affairs with Ashok Kumar, IAS. Publicity, media and public relations committee is under information minister S Chandramohan Reddy with Balasubramanyam, IAS as convener. Transport minister M Damodar Reddy will head the transport committee with A Giridhar, IAS as convener.
Home minister T Devender Goud is in charge of security committee along with home secretary Bharat Chandra. City beautification committee will be under K Vijayarama Rao. Health minister K Siva Prasad Rao will head the medical and dope control committee. Minister K VIdyadhar Rao will head the games marketing committee and Ashok Gajapathi Raju will head the air travel committee.
The conveners of the committees were requested to meet once in a week and examine the progress of the implementation of their recommendations.