-The Hindu The Comptroller and Auditor-General’s report on the allocation of coal blocks, reviews how it took seven-and-half years to move the allocation procedure for captive coal blocks from a discretionary procedure to competitive Bidding that was demonstrably transparent. It turns out that the process began within six weeks of UPA-I coming to power in 2004. Ironically, the amendment to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act rules for auction...

-The Indian Express Three new reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India increased the heat on the embattled government on Friday. The statutory auditor’s report on coal block allocations, implementation of public-private partnership at the Delhi International Airport and the award of ultra mega power projects (UMPP), tabled in Parliament, accused the government of indulging in favouritism, irregularities in Bidding processes, and causing massive losses to the exchequer. The...

-The Times of India Pointing out that the government extended windfall gains of Rs 1.86 lakh crore to private players by distributing coal blocks without Bidding over years, the CAG has said, "A part of this financial gain could have accrued to the national exchequer by operationalizing the decision taken years earlier to introduce competitive Bidding for allocation of coal blocks. Therefore, audit is of strong opinion that there is a...

-The Economic Times The CAG has questioned the eligibility of the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Power to have bid for any of the three ultra mega power projects (UMPPs) and said the company would enjoy undue benefits of Rs 29,033 crore over 20 years by using surplus coal at another plant.  The CAG said that to be eligible to bid for a UMPP, a company should have implemented projects worth Rs 3,000 crore...

-The Hindu Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal has rejected the Comptroller and Auditor-General’s conclusion that coal blocks allocation helped private companies gain Rs. 1.86 lakh crore. Talking to journalists after the report was tabled in Parliament on Friday, he said: “The policy adopted to allocate coal blocks was not faulty. There could not be a more transparent policy for allocation of coal blocks [since 2004 when there was no competitive Bidding].” The CAG...