Govt considering CAG findings: FM

Under attack from Left parties on the Centaur Hotel sell-off, Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said the government would indicate as soon as possible what action it proposes to take on CAG findings pointing certain lapses by the National Democratic Alliance government on the divestment.

"We are considering the report and I will as soon as possible indicate what we will do," Chidambaram told the Rajya Sabha.

The Divestment Development: Complete Coverage

He was responding to CPI(M) and Congress members who vociferously wanted to know what action is being taken on the CAG findings as the Finance Minister had assured the House as early as August last year that he would consider taking action after receiving the CAG findings.

Chidambaram's response came a day after Left parties have given an ultimatum that the government should institute an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the divestment of Centaur Hotels at Juhu and Mumbai Airport within 24 hours.

Now the report has come out, the finance minister must spell out immediately the government's response, CPI(M) members said adding, "we want specific assurances" from the minister on the issue.

Dipankar Mukherjee (CPI-M) said former Divestment Minister Arun Shourie was "intimidating" the CAG by his comments.

"This is direct intimidation as well as tampering of evidence. Some affirmative action needed to be taken," he said wondering how many reports the government required to initiate action on the sell-off when the Standing Committee and CAG have passed strictures.