Prime minister to make statement on coal block allocation

Prime minister Manmohan Singh would make a statement on coal block allocation in parliament today in the wake of the CAG report which the opposition has used to attack him.

The prime minister will make the statement in both the Houses, according to government sources quoted by PTI.

The prime minister, who is under attack over the allocation made in the period between 2005-2009 when he held the coal portfolio, has been waiting to make a statement over the last week but could not do so because of the disruption caused by opposition, mainly BJP.

He is expected to rebut charges levelled in the CAG report and point out "inaccuracies" in the "misleading" assessment of loss of Rs1.85 lakh crore, sources said.

The PM's response is likely to be that Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Odisha and Jharkhand, all ruled by non-UPA governments, had in 2005, opposed the centre's move to bring a legislation on auction process.

One of the charges made by the CAG was that there had been delay in coal block allocation. Singh said last week that he could give satisfactory answers to all issues being raised.