Coal block allotments above board, govt tells team Anna

Going so far as to react officially to allegations made by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare and his team that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had indulged in malpractices in the allocation of coal blocks to private companies, the coal ministry issued a statement saying that "The process of allocation of blocks was equitable, fair and just.''

A preliminary assessment by the Comptroller & Auditor General of India estimated a loss of Rs10,6700 crore caused to the nation due to dubious allotment of coal blocks back in 1993.

The coal ministry statement said there has never been any serious allegation against the working of the screening committee for allotments. Competitive bidding was introduced to make the selection process demonstrably more transparent.

It further said the screening committee was broad-based with representation from state chief ministers and chief secretaries, ministries of the central government and the coal companies.

Meanwhile, coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal told reporters in Kanpur that had coal blocks not been allocated, India would have lost precious foreign exchange in importing the commodity despite having it in abundance.

Asked specifically if he was clarifying Team Anna's allegation, Jaiswal said he was not aware of any charges, "nor do we have to respond to allegations levelled by anyone".