IMG may meet tomorrow on missing files on coal mines allotment

IMG under the chairmanship of Additional Secretary, Coal, was constituted last month for the purpose of locating the records

With some files relating to coal mines allocation still missing, an inter-ministerial panel is expected to meet tomorrow to review the situation and decide on future course of action.

"The inter-ministerial group (IMG) may meet tomorrow to review the situation," said a source.

For the purpose of locating the records, the IMG under the chairmanship of Additional Secretary, Coal, was constituted last month.

The Coal Ministry has said that the mandate of the committee, which has representatives from various ministries, including power and steel, is to examine and review non- availability of any file or document and suggest appropriate action for locating the same.

The committee has held three meetings so far and requested the members to locate the copies of documents/ applications in their respective organisations.

The ministry, meanwhile, has stated that efforts are being made to locate seven files, 173 applications and 9 documents pertaining to coal block allocations.

Minister of State for Coal Pratik Prakashbapu Patil had said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on August 26: "Of the 43 files, 21 have already been handed over to the CBI, 15 are available for handing over and CBI has been requested to collect the same. Efforts are being made to locate the rest 7 files.

"Out of 19 applications, 3 applications have already been made available to CBI. The remaining 16 applications along with 157 applications are being searched."

Out of the 17 other documents, 6 have been supplied, two are available for handing over and nine are being searched.

In response to a letter by the Coal Ministry, requesting CBI to indicate list of specific documents which need to be furnished, the probe agency sent a consolidated list of documents that were yet to be made available to them, he said.

The Minister further said that so far 769 files in original have been handed over to the CBI.