Is there any evidence of questionable allocations by the government?

11. Is there any evidence of questionable allocations by the government?

Unfortunately, the answer to this question is a resounding 'yes'. The deliberate intervention
of Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai and the PM in allotting blocks to companies related
to the Minister is now well documented. There are plenty of other examples, with more
coming to light everyday. Below are some instances where Congress leaders have clearly
abused their power to profit themselves and their cronies -
● Mr. Vijay Darda, the Congress Member of the Rajya Sabha along with his brother
Maharashtra Education Minister Rajendra Darda promoted a company JLD Yavatmal Energy
which got a captive coal block in Chhattisgarh despite not being recommended by the Govt.
of Chhattisgarh. This company also concealed that it was granted coal block in the past.
● The Abhijit Group promoted by Manoj Jaiswal and having close business ties to Vijay Darda
was allotted six coal blocks with a lot of irregularities. It has come to public attention that
the coal minister Shri Prakash Jaiswal was named the final arbitrator in Manoj Jaiswal's family
dispute. The intimate link is very evident.
● Companies promoted by Congress MP Naveen Jindal from the Lok Sabha (Jindal Steel &
Power Ltd.) were allotted five coal blocks.
● IST Steel & Power, a company promoted by the son of RJD Rajya Sabha MP Prem Chand Gupta
was allotted a coal block. Mr. Gupta was a Union Minister in the previous UPA government.
● Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting, Mr S Jagathrakshakan of the DMK
and his family members were directors of JR Power Generation Pvt. Ltd. This company was
just five days old when it entered into an MoU with Puducherry Industrial Promotion
Development Corporation. It was allotted a coal block in 2007.
● Iron & Steel Udyog Ltd., a company owned by Vijay Joshi, a close associate of former Chief
Minister of Jharkhand Madhu Koda (both of whom are currently in jail) was allotted a coal
block. Previously, Shri Arjun Munda had not recommended this allocation. However, once
Mr Koda became the Chief Minister with the support of the Congress, he used his influence
to ensure the allocation.
● The brother of former Minister of State for Coal Mr. Santosh Bagrodia was awarded a hefty

mining contract worth Rs 23,000 Cr by the NTPC, while a bid by the Singareni Collieries (a
PSU) was ignored. All of this occurred when Mr Bagrodia was the Minister of State for Coal
and the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh held the Coal portfolio.