Rs. 40 crore balloon for Commonwealth Games

New Delhi's 2010 Commonwealth Games are all set to break all records for spending money. Billed as the costliest Commonwealth Games ever, it's reportedly already crossed Rs. 30,000 crore budget.

While this also includes an upgrade of the capital's infrastructure like roads and flyovers, not all of it will add to Delhi's quality of life.

The government plans to spend Rs. 150 crore on a gala opening and closing ceremony which includes Rs. 5 crore being paid to Oscar winner A R Rahman for the theme music.

But of this budget, a whopping Rs. 40 crore will be spent to lease a helium blimp - a big balloon the gas for which apparently will also have to be imported.

"What is the need for a balloon which costs Rs. 40 crore? Even the gas is coming from Russia I believe. This is nothing but an excuse to spend money," organising committee member VK Malhotra said.