Coal news and updates

No criminality found in allocation of 20 coal blocks: Sources

In a good news for the Congress, no criminality has been found in the allocation of 20 coal blocks in preliminary enquiries, according to sources. The coal blocks were allocated between 2006 and 2009.

The CBI had registered 14 FIRs and three preliminary enquiries (PEs) to probe coal blocks allocation scam.

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) had in May, 2013 referred to CBI the case of alleged irregularities in allocation of coal blocks to public and private companies which has brought the government under attack from opposition. The CVC had then forwarded the case to CBI to probe the alleged irregularities in the coal block allocation by the Centre.

The CBI is looking into coal blocks allocation since 1993 by respective governments - including BJP-led National Democratic Alliance regime from 1998 to 2004 as well as those given during United Front rule in 1996-98.

The practice to give captive coal blocks to private power, steel and cement firms had begun in 1993, following an amendment to the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act.

Source: IBN Live