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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Coal: Govt slams Rs. 1.86 lakh cr loss report; BJP asks PM to quit

Coal: Govt slams Rs. 1.86 lakh cr loss report; BJP asks PM to quit

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published Published on Aug 17, 2012   modified Modified on Aug 17, 2012
-The Hindustan Times

Rapping the government for its failure to timely implement the competitive bidding mechanism for allocation of coal blocks, CAG on Friday said part of the Rs. 1.86 lakh crore loss could have been partially tapped had the procedure been put in place earlier. In its report, tabled in Parliament, CAG said 25 firms including Essar Power, Hindalco, Tata Steel, Tata Power and Jindal Steel and Power were benefited to the tune of Rs. 1.86 lakh crore from coal blocks allocated to them on nomination basis, instead of competitive bidding.

"The government could have tapped a part of this financial benefit by expediting decision on competitive bidding for allocation of coal blocks," CAG said in the report.

CAG said it has arrived at the estimated loss to the national exchequer based on the average cost of production and average sale price of opencast mines of Coal India in the year 2010-11.

"A part of this financial gain could have accrued to the national exchequer by operationalising the decision taken years earlier to introduce competitive bidding for allocation of coal blocks," CAG said.

There was no specific criteria for allocation of coal blocks in the country till 1993. From 1993 onwards, ministry of coal started awarding blocks to private parties for captive mining on recommendations of the Inter-Ministerial Screening Committee or through direct allocation.

The concept of allocation of captive coal blocks through competitive bidding was first announced in 2004. However, the government is yet to finalise the modus operandi of the mechanism. In the meantime, 194 coal blocks were allocated to different government and private parties up to March 31, 2011.

To bring objectivity and transparency in the allocation and for tapping of a part of benefit for accruing to the allottees of captive coal blocks, CAG said the coal ministry should "urgently" work out modalities to implement the procedure of allocation of coal blocks for captive mining through competitive bidding.

Since July 2004 as many as 142 coal blocks were allotted to government and private parties without "transparency and objectivity,"  says the report. The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, held the coal portfolio between 2006-2-009.

Opposition parties, which have demanded a thorough probe into the allocation of coal blocks made between 2005-2008, are likely to step up their attacks on the government after the CAG report.

The lack of transparency in the allocation of coal blocks to private players resulted in a loss of a whopping Rs.1.85 lakh crore ($37 billion) to the exchequer as on March 11 last year, India's official auditor has said in a report.

"In the meantime, 194 net coal blocks, aggregate 44,440 million tonnes were allocated to different government and private parties up to March 31, 2011," said the much-awaited report.

"The government could have tapped part of this financial benefit by expediting decision on competitive biding for allocation of coal blocks," the report added, while observing that most allocations were made on the basis of recommendations from state governments.

The auditor report also recommended immediate steps to allot mines through competitive bidding process in a bid to bring about objectivity and transparency in the process and in the larger context of power for all this year.

BJP demands PM's reply

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday slammed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the alleged irregularities pointed out by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report in the allocation of coal blocks between 2006 and 2009.

"The CAG has pointed out a loss of Rs. 1.86 lakh crore to the exchequer. The BJP has been raising the issue for quite some time now," BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.

"This is not just a scam, it's a case of murder and loot. We would like an answer from the prime minister on charges made by the CAG," Rudy said minutes after the report was tabled in the Rajya Sabha.

Union law minister Salman Khurshid on Thursday refused to comment on the CAG report on coal block allocation.

(With inputs from PTI, IANS)

The Hindustan Times, 17 August, 2012, http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Govt-slams-CAG-coal-block-loss-report-BJP-asks-PM-to-quit/Article1-914959.aspx


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