The inaugural Afro-Asian Games will be held in Hyderabad from October 24 to Novermber 1. 

A decision to this effect was taken, on Saturday, at a meeting of the Union cabinet, presided by the Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Parliamentary Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj told reporters that the Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu had offered to host the Afro-Asian Games in Hyderabad where the National Games were held from December 13 to 22 last year.

Naidu told the Centre that world class sports infrastructure existed in Hyderabad and the Games could be held there.

Giving details of the funding pattern of the Games, Swaraj said it would cost Rs 103 crore out of which Rs 55 crore will be given as part of budgetary allocation and Rs eight crore will be given by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs. The remaining Rs 40 crore would be generated through sponsorships.

Swaraj said, the Games scheduled to be held from November 2 to 11, 2001, had to be postponed following the September 11 terrorist strike in the United States.