Daily Mail reported that the image of the Coalgate hit UPA government has received another blow with the revelation that Union home minister Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde had requested Prime Minister Mr Manmohan Singh in 2007 to allocate a coal block in Orissa to a private firm.
The Congress has faced embarrassment for the involvement of its ministers and MPs using the preferential quota and their clout to favor their kin and associates in the Coalgate scam.
In the latest revelation, Mr Shinde as the power minister had written a letter dated September 20th 2007 to the PM and argued on behalf of Bhushan Energy Limited to allow the coal ministry to allocate a captive coal block to let the operations begin at the 2,000 MW thermal power plant in Angul district.
Mr Sushil K Shinde had written to the PM in September 2007 that “I recommend that BEL be given 50 per cent share in Amarkunda Murgadangal Coal Block and the remaining to Jindal Steel and Gagan Sponge Iron. I recommend that BEL be given 50 per cent share in Amarkunda Murgadangal Coal Block and the remaining to Jindal Steel and Gagan Sponge Iron.”
The letters show Mr Shinde's complete backing for BEL and raising a finger at the allotment given to Jindal Steel and Power Limited for the same coal block. His letter clearly requested for 50% share in the Amarkunda Murgadangal coal block to BEL and the remaining half to Jindal Steel and Gagan Sponge Iron which he said were two entities owned by the PM Manmohan Singh same group.
Mr Shinde's tilt towards BEL follows the company's letter where the latter clearly mentioned the state of 'readiness' and the urgency for a captive coal block to provide the raw material for its power plant.
The BEL letter to Mr Shinde said that the Orissa government and the Union power ministry had recommended the company for allocation and it was based on recommendations made by the Central Electricity Authority, who had shortlisted 44 applicants out of 187. But the recommendations were ignored and the coal blocks were allotted to firms which have no better rating than those left out.
Source - Daily Mail
(www.coalguru.com)
