Minister of State for Coal Pratik Prakash Bapu Patil informed Rajya Sabha that the centre has not allocated any coal block to private companies in Madhya Pradesh during 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Patil said that the government of Madhya Pradesh had recommended 14 companies for seven coal blocks located in Madhya Pradesh during the last five years.
Out of the seven coal blocks, three coal blocks were not allocated owing to court cases and exhaustion of reserves. Out of the 14 companies recommended by the state government, two companies were allocated coal blocks.
These blocks are yet to start production and are at various stages of development, he said.
He said that as reported by Central Bureau of investigation (CBI), it has registered three Preliminary Enquiries regarding alleged irregularities in allocation of coal blocks – the first one relating to allocation of coal blocksmade to private companies during the period 2006-09, the second one relating to allocation of coal blocks to private companies during the period 1993-2004 andthe third one relating to allocation of coal blocks to government companies.
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cases related to allocation of coal blocks made to private companies during 2006-09, 10 FIRs have been lodged by CBI so far, including one of the coal block allocated in Madhya Pradesh, he said.