Panaji: A day after opposition stalled Question Hour of Goa Legislative Assembly over Coal Block issue, State Industries Minister Vishwajit Rane said that the “opposition were barking at a wrong tree.”
Rane said that the allegations of corruption leveled by the opposition against the State government is “baseless” as the Coal Block is yet to be allotted to any company.
Goa has been allotted Coal Block at Madhya Pradesh by the Central government. The opposition Benches on Tuesday stalled Question Hour and rushed to the well of the House alleging that State government was involved in Rs 1,000 crore coal block scam by employing a tainted company as a consultant for the same.
Responding to the allegations, Rane told reporters on Wednesday that the consultant, who has been selected for the project, has experience of working with 20 Public Sector undertaking companies and has experience in the Coal Block.
“The company has already clarified that the cases against them are either withdrawn or yet to be charge-sheeted,” Rane said, referring to the consultant.
The minister said that the allocation of the coal block has been delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country.
“State government is yet to float Request for Qualification (RFQ) for the Block,” he said.
“The opposition should refrain from making such allegations,” he commented.
Rane said that, on the other hand, the former governments are under scanner as 22 files which were created during their time regarding coal block are confiscated by the Central Bureau of Investigaiton.
“We are yet to get back those 22 files,” he said adding that the opposition was “barking at a wrong tree.”
