The union government will not cancel any coal block allocation, but will review the status of 58 coal blocks which public as well as private firms failed to develop within the stipulated time frame, parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said here on Sunday.
Addressing the media at Chandigarh Press Club, Bansal said the department concerned had already issued notices to companies which failed to start work in time. Moreover, it would be legally and economically wrong to cancel the allocations, he said.
Admitting that the government had failed to form a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) in time over the 2G spectrum issue, Bansal hastened to add that the Centre had already filed a review petition in the Supreme Court.
Reacting to the BJP's demand for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's resignation following the CAG's (Comptroller and Auditor General) "damning" report on coal block allocation, he said, "Regarding coal block allocations secured on forged documents, the CBI is already on the job and action will be initiated as per the findings."
Rejecting a mid-term poll, Bansal said, "We will complete the five-year term and the elections will be held in May 2014. Also, the BJP has even failed to decide on their leader. The common man is well aware of their polices; in 2014, the UPA will again form the government."
On the deadlock in Parliament, he said, "We are trying our level best to persuade the Opposition for a debate, but it seems the BJP has rendered Parliament irrelevant. It is because of the BJP that we are not able to pass nine anti-corruption bills. With this attitude (of the BJP), the people will lose faith in Parliament. Because of the BJP, 75% time of Parliament has been wasted during the monsoon session."
Rejecting a mid-term poll, Bansal said, "We will complete the five-year term and the elections will be held in May 2014. Also, the BJP has even failed to decide on their leader. The common man is well aware of their polices; in 2014, the UPA will again form the government."
On the deadlock in Parliament, he said, "We are trying our level best to persuade the Opposition for a debate, but it seems the BJP has rendered Parliament irrelevant. It is because of the BJP that we are not able to pass nine anti-corruption bills. With this attitude (of the BJP), the people will lose faith in Parliament. Because of the BJP, 75% time of Parliament has been wasted during the monsoon session."