BJP for CBI probe into 'Rs 10.67 lakh cr' coal scam

Taking note of the draft report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on allotment of coal blocks without auction, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the allotment of coal blocks and monitoring of the probe by a court.

"The coal allotment scam is a major scam. We demand a CBI probe and a court should monitor the probe. It is a government of scamsters (that is) involved in knee-deep corruption," BJP leader Prakash Javedkar told reporters outside Parliament.

"Why coal blocks were allotted without auction?" Javdekar asked.

According to the CAG draft report, the government extended undue benefits totaling Rs 10.67 lakh crore to commercial entities by giving them 155 coal acreages without auction between 2004 and 2009.

Referring to major scams, Javdekar said, "The CWG scam is (is to the tune) of Rs 70,000 crore, 2G scam is Rs 1.76 lakh crore. But, now the new coal scam is Rs 10.67 lakh crore. It is a government of scams... from airways to mining everywhere the government is involved in scams."

He said, "In 2006, the government introduced the bill for auction of coal blocks...But the government did not pass the bill till 2010. 17 billion tonnes of coal reserve in 73 blocks were distributed to private companies. It is a huge scam. There are many cases where people have sold the licences."

Meanwhile, Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Thursday said he was not aware of the CAG report that has reportedly pegged a Rs 10.7 lakh crore loss to the exchequer due to coal allocations between 2004 and 2009.

"I am not aware about the report," Shinde told reporters in Ner Delhi in response to a query on the draft CAG report.