Single-window clearance mechanism on cards to speed up development of coal blocks

NEW DELHI: The government will discuss setting up a single-window clearance mechanism on the lines of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) for coal blocks to expedite their development - a proposal mooted by the Comptroller & Auditor General ( CAG) in its recent report on coal block allocations.

In a meeting with top power and coal ministry officials on October 5, Pulok Chatterjee, principal secretary in Prime Minister's Office, will also deliberate government's defence against the CAG's report that alleged Rs 1.86 lakh crore undue benefits to private companies through non-transparent coal block allocations, sources said.

The meeting is likely to be attended by coal secretary S Srivastava, power secretary P Uma Sankar and Coal India chairman S Narsing Rao among others.

The meeting will also discuss the government's plan of action against the public interest litigation (PIL) admitted by the Supreme Court against allotment of coal blocks to kin of political leaders. The coal ministry is drafting replies to the queries raised by the Supreme Court, the sources said.

The CAG report led to disruption of Parliament's monsoon session and initiation of probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation in coal block allotments besides admission of the PIL in Supreme Court. Chatterjee has called secretaries of power and coal ministries to discuss issues related to the coal and power sectors including progress of the inter ministerial group (IMG) in reviewing development of captive coal blocks and making the panel a permanent body, the sources said.