The Coal Allocation Committee of the coal ministry is scheduled to meet tomorrow amid allegations by certain Members of Parliament (MPs) of favouritism towards certain “shell” companies promoted by politicians and bureaucrats.
The committee is holding the meeting to award long-term coal linkages to power projects. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh holds the charge of the coal ministry.
Certain MPs have written to the prime minister complaining queue-jumping and favour-seeking by certain politicians and bureaucrats to get coal linkages for their power projects, which have no land, water and official clearances.
This is delaying the decision of the government to convene the coal linkage meeting for independent power producers, the MPs allege. There are many newly-formed companies with no equity, fund tie-ups or experience in power projects that are attempting queue-jumping, say the MPs.
The MPs who have written the letter include Subrata Bose, Abu Ayes Mondal, Sant Kumar Mandal, M Appa Durai, Narahari Nahto, Roopchand Murmu, Ranan Barman and Pannian Ravindran.
The Ministry of Power has seemingly been revising its priority power projects for the 11th Plan time and again, which has resulted in the initial list aggregating up to 10,000 Mw growing to 24,000 Mw, according to the letter, a copy of which is with Business Standard.
The coal ministry has given linkages to projects aggregating over 60,000 Mw of which construction of many is yet to begin.
“Some serious projects are losing out due to these shell projects of politicians and bureaucrats. The attempts by certain politicians and bureaucrats will deprive coal linkages to legitimate projects, which are ready in all other aspects,” said a source close to the development.
