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Ahir demands cancellation of coal blocks to private companies

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Press Trust of India Chandrapur
Last Updated : Jan 25 2013 | 4:04 AM IST

Ahir, who has made it to Lok Sabha for three times in a row from Chandrapur, though feeling triumphant over CAG also questioning the government over controversial allotment of coal blocks said the battle would be far from over till the government cancelled allotments of coal blocks to the private companies.

Talking to PTI, he said, "The UPA government had earlier agreed in principle for auction of coal blocks but none of the blocks were auctioned after 2006. On the other hand, there were expeditious allotments of coal blocks between 2006 and 2009. The UPA government not only failed to adhere to its own policy but has shown undue haste in allotments."

He also pointed out that only 39 private companies were allotted captive coal blocks between 1993 and 2005 while 152 more private companies were favoured with allotments between 2005 and 2009.

When asked as to how Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could be held responsible for the scam, Ahir stressed that the portfolio for Ministry of Coal was held by the PM after Shibu Soren and major coal blocks were not allotted without the signature of Prime Minister even after the recommendations by the Screening Committee.

Ahir stressed that the Government has no option but to accept that it has cost the national exchequer billions of rupees and the UPA government which is harping on the issue of authority of CAG has no escape route now.

"Only the Public Account Committee (PAC) headed by Murli Manohar Joshi is authorised to comment on CAG report and none of the Congressmen or the union ministers. My demand for cancellation of allotments is valid as Supreme Court has directed cancellation of allotments in 2-G spectrum scam and re-allot the same after inviting bids for the same," he said.

  

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First Published: Aug 19 2012 | 11:05 PM IST

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