Buoyed by the support from a major chunk of the Commonwealth fraternity, India is confident of winning its bid to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games and has already put in place a committee to prepare an action plan for the mega event.
Fresh from his return from London, where India presented its bid in "grand" style on May 30, Sports Minister Vikram Verma sounded quite optimistic of New Delhi getting a chance to host the multi-disciplinary Games for the first time.
"We have got a very positive response from the international community and we are quite hopeful that Asian region will be allowed to host the Games in 2010," Verma told reporters in Delhi.
Pakistan Olympic Association chief Latif Bhatt was present when India made its bid, Verma said underlining that the Asian community is fully behind India.
"At the dinner that we hosted for the delegates, individual members of the Commonwealth Federation came forward to pledge their support to India," he said.
"So we are very hopeful of the Games being allotted to us when the result of the bid is announced in November in Jamaica."
Verma said a "strategic committee" has been already put in place under his chairmanship to prepare an action plan for the Games.
"The committee will decide on all major aspects of the Games including where the Games Village has to be set up. It will assess the available infrastructure and accordingly suggest upgradation," Verma said.
"New Delhi has twice hosted the Asian Games and there is no reason why it cannot successfully host the Commonwealth Games," he said.
The sports minister said as a host nation India can choose to include a discipline of its choice and it could be cricket.
"We can include cricket. That should not be a problem," he said.
Verma denied that the recent doping scandal would have any negative bearing on India's bid. "Even China recently came out with a report where large number of athletes were named as dope offenders but it is hosting the Olympics. We are very serious about fighting the doping menace.
"We are also hopeful that the SAI laboratory will be granted at least temporary accreditation before the Afro-Asian Games in Hyderabad in October-November and much before 2010 we will definitely have the permanent accreditation," Verma said.
Verma said an inspection team from the Commonwealth Bid Committee would visit India in August and he was hopeful that it would be convinced of New Delhi's ability to conduct the Games in 2010.
The team will submit its report based on which the host country for the Games will be decided. Hamilton, Canada, is the only other country which is bidding for the 2010 edition.
"Canada has already hosted the Games four times. This time India should get a chance with a view of promoting sports in the Asian region as well," Verma said.
The only time Asia hosted the Games was in 1998 when it was held at Kuala Lumpur.
