<div>The government and the Opposition were on course to a prolonged confrontation over the CAG report on coal allocation on 21 August, with NDA demanding resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who said satisfactory answers could be given to all issues if a debate was allowed.<br /><br />"We are ready for any debate," Singh told reporters after Parliament was adjourned for the day because of the uproar created by the Opposition which was demanding his resignation.<br /><br />"We can give satisfactory answers to all issues being raised," the Prime Minister said.<br /><br />Earlier, the Opposition stalled both Houses of Parliament, demanding the Prime Minister's resignation over the irregularities detected by CAG in the allocation of coal blocks between 2005 and 2009 when Singh held the Coal portfolio.<br /><br />Hitting out at BJP, Parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said, "What was the stand of BJP chief ministers when coal block allocation took place... BJP was also one of the parties...<br /><br />"People must know the difference between truth and untruth, between myth and reality, between narrow party politics and critical economy. People ought to know it and then only they would know what was their (BJP) role, even in the matter of allocation of coal blocks," he said.<br /><br />Minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) V Narayanasamy, two BJP-ruled states - Rajasthan under chief minister Vasundhara Raje and Chhattisgarh under chief minister Raman Singh - besides West Bengal under the Left Front government, had earlier written to the central government opposing the auction of coal blocks.<br /><br />The minister further said that the states were kept in the loop in all coal block allocations as chief secretaries of the coal-bearing states were part of the screening committee, which included coal and power secretaries.<br /><br />The CAG report tabled in Parliament on 17 August stated that there has been an estimated loss of Rs 1.86 lakh crore due to coal block allocation without auction.<br /><br />The Government rejected demand for Singh's resignation as "preposterous" and accused the Opposition of "trying to make an issue out of nothing" but the BJP said it will not relent till its demand is met.<br /><br />Government sought to turn the tables on the Opposition, saying the allocation was made on the basis of recommendations of state governments ruled by non-UPA parties.<br /><br />The CAG report, which has estimated loss of Rs 1.86 lakh crore due to coal block allocation without allocation between 2005 and 2009, rocked Parliament with a determined Opposition stalling proceedings by demanding Singh's resignation as he held the Coal portfolio during that period.<br /><br />The three key CAG reports which were tabled in Parliament on 17 August accused the government of allocating coal blocks, power projects and land for Delhi's flagship airport at a fraction of market prices, potentially costing the exchequer tens of billions of dollars in lost revenues.<br /><br />The much-awaited CAG report on coal block allotment said private firms are likely to gain Rs 1.86 lakh crore from coal blocks that were allocated to them on nomination basis instead of competitive bidding<br /><br />The audit report on Delhi airport slams the levy of development fee on passengers and says the civil aviation ministry violated the bid conditions for the benefit of GMR-led DIAL. The consortium was granted rights for commercial use of 240 acres of land worth Rs 24,000 crore against an equity infusion into the project of just about a tenth - Rs 2,450 crore, This, when the consortium expected to generate revenue of Rs 88,337 crore for itself.<br /><br />The third CAG report flays post-bid concessions to Reliance Power and says the Anil Ambani-led firm got undue benefit of Rs 29,033 crore when the government allowed use of surplus coal from blocks alloted to Sasan power plant for its other projects. (Read: Reliance Power Unduly Gained)<br /><br />The Opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party, demanded an immediate explanation from the beleaguered government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, particularly about one report that suggested private companies made windfall gains of about $33 billion (Rs 1.86 lakh crore) because of the underpriced sale of coal fields.<br /><br />The Lok Sabha could not transact any business because of the unruly scenes, which first resulted in adjournment till noon and then for the day.<br /><br />The Rajya Sabha could function only to allow the unanimous election of Congress leader P J Kurien as Deputy Chairman of the House before it was adjourned for the day amid uproar.<br /><br />Singh later said the government is ready for any debate and give satisfactory answers to all issues raised.<br /><br />"We are ready for any debate," he told reporters, adding "We can give satisfactory answers to all issues being raised."<br /><br />Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal termed as "preposterous and baseless" the opposition demand.<br /><br />"Let them come for a discussion... It is not right on their part. They know that there is nothing. Still they are trying to create a situation on an issue which is not there," he told reporters outside Parliament House.</div>
