Who belongs to the screening committee?

7. Who belongs to the screening committee?

The Screening Committee is run under the chairmanship of the Secretary (Coal). From the
Ministry of Coal, it also consists of the Joint Secretary (Coal) as the Member-Secretary and
Advisor (Project). Other Central Government members include representatives from the
Ministry of Steel, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (Ministry of Commerce and
Industry), Ministry of Power, Ministry of Environment and Forest and Ministry of Railways. The
Committee also includes the Chairman of the coal company of command area where the coal
block is located, and the Chief Secretary from the relevant State Government.7
Dr Manmohan Singh has sought to blame the states for decisions of the Screening
Committee and the delay in introducing auction. However, the State Government has merely
one representative, that too for consultation. More importantly, the Screening Committee
merely recommends - it is the Coal Minister who actually allocates the block. As is well known,
between 2006 and 2009, Dr Manmohan Singh himself was the Minister in-charge.