All-party meet today to resolve assembly impasse over coal scam

The all-party meeting to resolve the impasse in the state assembly over alleged involvement of two ministers in the multi-crore scam in allotment of coal to small scale industries will be held tomorrow afternoon.

The meeting, convened by the speaker, was initially scheduled for yesterday. But, it could not be held as the opposition members refused to attend it citing the absence of chief minister as the reason for the boycott.

Sources said, speaker has invited 13 leaders from different parties, including ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), for tomorrow’s meet. However, the list of invitees once again does not mention the name of the chief minister, who is the leader of BJD legislative party.

Peeved by this development, sources said, the leader of Opposition, Bhupinder Singh may not to attend tomorrow’s meeting though some other Congress leader may represent the party in the meeting. The state assembly has failed to transact any business for the last four days due to uproar in the house over the demand of the Opposition for the resignation of the two ministers who were alleged to have been involved in the scam.

However, the chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who made a statement in the house on the issue on Saturday, gave a clean chit to the ministers amidst walkout by the Opposition.Patnaik trashed all allegations against the two ministers adding that his government believes in taking a stringent action against any person or institution found guilty of corruption charges.

“Allegations have been leveled against the two ministers who were former chairman of the Orissa Small Industries Corporation (OSIC)- Pratap Jena and Badri Narayan Patra for their involvement in the vigilance case. On examination, it is found that Jena was the chairman of the corporation from January 31, 2003 to May 15, 2004 and that he had demitted office well before the new system of distribution of coal was introduced.”

On Patra's alleged involvement, he said, “Badri Narayan Patra was the chairman of the corporation from October 9, 2006 to March 20, 2009. As revealed from the vigilance investigation, the file in respect of appointment of handling agent for distribution of coal was never put up to the then Chairman. The comparative statement for tender was signed and approved by the general manager and managers of OSIC. It will therefore be unjustified to implicate Patra in the vigilance case which is under investigation.”

“The Vigilance organization has been given a free hand to get to the bottom of the truth”, he added.The Chief Minister informed that the three cases have been registered against the officials of the Orissa Cooperative Consumer Federation (OCCF) and the District Industries Centres of Jagatsinghpur, Jagatpur and Kendrapara for having connived at selling coal to the fictitious and non-existent MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises).

He further said, a case has been registered against the general manager and managers of OSIC and the handling agents.