Amid uproar in Parliament over the reports of alleged coal scam of Rs. 10.7 lakh crore, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday said CAG’s report is only a draft.
“It (Comptroller and Auditor General’s report on coal allocation) is not yet CAG report. It is a draft report”, he told reporters here.
Mr. Mukherjee further said, “normal practise is they (come out with) draft report... then Ministry’s comment come. After the comments... there is a regular system through which it will be placed on the table of (both Houses) Parliament.”
CAG’s draft report has estimated a Rs 10.6 lakh crore loss to the exchequer on account of allotment of coal blocks without auction, during 2004 to 2009, to 100 private and public sector companies.
The draft created a political storm leading to disruption of proceedings of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
The official auditor has estimated a “windfall gain” of Rs. 6.31 lakh crore (PSUs — Rs. 3.37 lakh crore and private parties — Rs. 2.94 lakh crore) based on the prices prevailing during the year of allocation on constant cost and price basis as on March 31, 2011.
The CAG report comes more than a year after its report on the allocation of scarce 2G telecom spectrum on first-come- first-service basis. It had estimated a presumptive loss of Rs. 1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer.
Those making these comments of allegations of corruption based on a
preliminary draft audit report do not understand the way the
government functions and the way audit is conducted in the government.
The fact is that audit department bases its own assessment of any
policy or its implementation and prepares a draft para. This is
followed by the explanation of the department and exit conference with
the head of the department. Invariably due to difference in the
perspectives of audit vis a vis departments,generally quite irrelevant
items creep in the audit draft paras. These paras are prepared by very
low ranking officials of audit department. The exit conferences which
are handled by senior officers of audit department take a correct
perspective of things and only on that basis a preliminary para
becomes a draft para. It is a wrong trend to leak these preliminary
reports and play on the psyche of general public. I strongly condemn
such a trend and I feel people of India should understan
Let it be a draft. When it is finalised the total figure can go up or go down, that's all. But the corruption remains. Who has done this? Who is responsible for this? Can you answer these questions Mr. Finance Minister? Some say that because these low price of coal the production price of steel and electricity from the Thermal plants remained cheap. Is this true? Can you answer these Mr. PM ad Mr. FM?
irt is unfair on the part of the finance minister to say that CAG"s r4e[port is only a draft.IT contains facts about the misapprociation to the extent of severa crores and however the draft is finally to be kept on the table of the parliament, it will contain the same figures of misappriation of corruptive and loss to the govt.
OTher wise the report of CAG look meaningless.How the opposition is going to take this report, as otherwise.Finance Minister must explain about the full details of report and is answserable for the entire loss hapned.
our media is given to sensationalism.
If this is proved. Govt will be end up in jeopardy. 2 Lakh cr in 2G, 10 lakh in coal, all because of procedural issues. The day playing with Crores on thousands are gone, now they play with crores on lakhs.
So, Pranab ji expects a Rs. 10.7 lakh crore difference between the draft
and final reports?
haaaaaaa............. Mr, Finance Minister. Do you mean that the figure of 10.7 Lakh crores is going to be revised in final report of CAG.
Do not react like this, please. Kindly spare time judiciously to inquire the matter and come forward with all black & white picture and show the public PURI FILM not trailer.
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