CAG to brief PAC on coal issue today

Sparks are likely to fly in the meetings of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee as it takes up the controversial CAG report on coal block allocations from Friday when the government auditor will brief the panel on the issue.

Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai and his team of officials will brief the PAC on the auditor's findings on coal block allocation on Friday. The issue had virtually washed out the entire Monsoon session of Parliament following disruptions by BJP-led opposition.

After CAG's presentation in the morning, officials of the coal ministry will face the PAC on the issue of allocations in the afternoon session of the Committee.

In its August 23 meeting, PAC had decided to examine the four latest reports of the CAG, including the one on coal block allocation.

The other CAG reports are on Delhi International Airport Ltd, Ultra Mega Power Plants and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).

In its report on coal blocks, CAG has said that private firms are likely to gain Rs. 1.86 lakh crore from coal blocks that were allocated to them on nomination basis instead of competitive bidding, which amounted to loss to national exchequer.