Commonwealths irrelevant to common man - India sports minister

Hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2010 is an attempt to improve the country's global image but of little relevance to the common man, India's sports minister said.

The Indian capital of New Delhi is to stage the 2010 Games at an estimated cost of 70 billion rupees (approximately $1.64 billion) and the city is also in the race for the 2014 Asian Games and the 2016 Olympics.

"Whether you organise the Commonwealth Games in Delhi or in Melbourne, the state of people living in the colonies right opposite the Games site (on the banks of Yamuna in India) will remain the same," Mani Shankar Aiyar said at a seminar in New Delhi.

Indian sports lovers would watch the Games on television anyway, irrespective of the venue, he said.

"The (Indian) government does not have enough money for social development programmes but has sanctioned 7,000 crores (70 billion (rupees) for hosting the Commonwealth Games just to improve India's image internationally," the Indian news agency PTI quoted him as saying.

India finished fourth in the medals table with 22 golds at the last Commonwealth Games in Melbourne behind Australia, England and Canada.