PM Modi’s tricky coal allocation poser to UPA
3 April 2015 5:25 AM IST
Speaking at a public meeting after dedicating the Rourkela Steel Plant’s Rs 12,000-crore expansion project in Odisha, PM questioned, “Where did the money go when the previous government allocated as many as 204 coal mines?”
While highlighting the recent Rs 2-lakh crore e-auction of coal as a major success by his government and claiming that NDA stood for transparency, Modi said, “People at the helm then should now explain how the present government could mobilise Rs 2 lakh crore out of auction of only 20 coal mines” Earlier, on September 24, 2014, in a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court had revoked allocation of 214 blocks out of 218 allocated since 1993 and asked the concerned companies to wind up their operation by March 2015. The ruling came after it was found that the allocation done in clear violation of government rules.
PM said that the money from the auction will not be taken away by the Centre but it will be shared with the concerned states including Odisha. “I would like to request the Odisha government to focus on long-term development plans and not on the petty things that give instant benefits,” he added in his half-an-hour speech, which he began in Odiya. Claiming that coal has now been transformed into diamond, PM recalled how he and others did not believe CAG report on the loss of revenue to the tune of Rs 1.76 lakh crore due to faulty coal block allocations made by the previous government.
“But now, after mobilisation of Rs 2 lakh crore by auction of 20 coal mines, I have reasons to believe the CAG report. All I can assure that there would be no compromise on honesty and transparency in the functioning of our government. We are in the government for 10 months and there is no scam or financial irregularities,” he said, while praising the national auditor for their commendable job.
Promise to extend full support to the eastern states including Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal and supporting the federal system of democracy, he said, “My government from the very beginning had been stressing on the development of eastern states. Only development of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and others was not the real development of India.
The Country would develop in real terms if the eastern states grew.” On the context of Mining and Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR) Act, he said, “Though the previous government had been attempting to amend the MMDR Act for last six years but we did this in 10 months. Now states need not run after Delhi for royalty or mineral revenue as the act has been amended suitably.”
He also thanked Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his support for the passage of MMDR (amendment) Bill both in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
While highlighting the recent Rs 2-lakh crore e-auction of coal as a major success by his government and claiming that NDA stood for transparency, Modi said, “People at the helm then should now explain how the present government could mobilise Rs 2 lakh crore out of auction of only 20 coal mines” Earlier, on September 24, 2014, in a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court had revoked allocation of 214 blocks out of 218 allocated since 1993 and asked the concerned companies to wind up their operation by March 2015. The ruling came after it was found that the allocation done in clear violation of government rules.
PM said that the money from the auction will not be taken away by the Centre but it will be shared with the concerned states including Odisha. “I would like to request the Odisha government to focus on long-term development plans and not on the petty things that give instant benefits,” he added in his half-an-hour speech, which he began in Odiya. Claiming that coal has now been transformed into diamond, PM recalled how he and others did not believe CAG report on the loss of revenue to the tune of Rs 1.76 lakh crore due to faulty coal block allocations made by the previous government.
“But now, after mobilisation of Rs 2 lakh crore by auction of 20 coal mines, I have reasons to believe the CAG report. All I can assure that there would be no compromise on honesty and transparency in the functioning of our government. We are in the government for 10 months and there is no scam or financial irregularities,” he said, while praising the national auditor for their commendable job.
Promise to extend full support to the eastern states including Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal and supporting the federal system of democracy, he said, “My government from the very beginning had been stressing on the development of eastern states. Only development of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and others was not the real development of India.
The Country would develop in real terms if the eastern states grew.” On the context of Mining and Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR) Act, he said, “Though the previous government had been attempting to amend the MMDR Act for last six years but we did this in 10 months. Now states need not run after Delhi for royalty or mineral revenue as the act has been amended suitably.”
He also thanked Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his support for the passage of MMDR (amendment) Bill both in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
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