Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal found himself at the centre of a controversy on Saturday over his sexist remark that wives lose charm over time, sparking an outrage among women's groups which dubbed the comment as "disgusting and derogatory".
Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal on Thursday said mining should be allowed in 90 per cent of the areas classified as no-mining zones by the Environment Ministry and a proposal will be tabled before Cabinet soon, after ascertaining the views of different ministries.
Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of spreading anarchy in the country on the coal block allocation issue, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal on Sunday said no one can force Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to resign till he enjoys the support of people.
Letters for deallocation of 13 private coal blocks to their owners are likely to be sent soon after the law ministry gives its go-ahead, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said on Friday.
Challenging Bharatiya Janata Party leaders to prove their allegations against him in the coal block allocation issue, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal on Tuesday said they were free to visit his office to collect any information.
"Some more coal blocks would be de-allocated," Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal told reporters after attending a meeting on infrastructure projects convened by Finance Minister P Chidambaram.
Under attack from the Bharatiya Janata Party on the coal block allocation issue, the government on Tuesday said the policy followed by it in allotting the mines was "100 per cent correct" and those who resorted to wrongdoing will go to jail.
In an exclusive interview with CNN-IBN Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal assures to begin the process of de-allocation of coal blocks against the errant companies from September 16 while strongly defending the government policy.
Coming to the defence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal on Thursday said he does not need a certificate of honesty from anyone.
Jaiswal said that auction of 54 coal blocks would not be possible this year because of the long process involved in it.
Under attack for several files pertaining to coal block allocations going missing, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said that he had asked officials to locate the missing papers by Tuesday and hinted the Central Bureau of Investigation may be asked to look into the case after that.
As part of the energy sector reforms, government is trying to evolve a consensus on commercial mining of coal to promote development of the sector, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said.
Jaiswal's statement came after Coal India said its multi-billion dollars worth of projects could become unviable if prices were not hiked. The PSU is seeking a nominal increase in prices of its products which were marginally revised last in 2007.
On a day he was promoted to the Cabinet rank, Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal promised bringing about revolutionary changes in his ministry aimed at fast-tracking the coal reforms process.
The Planning Commission had recently recommended leaving the coal prices to the market and allowing free trade of coal nationally and internationally. Although coal prices were deregulated in 2000, the rates are fixed by the coal PSUs under the guidance of the coal ministry.
The coal ministry is likely to begin next week issuing deallocation letters to private firms whose mines were cancelled and those where bank guarantees were deducted for sitting idle on mines given to them for captive use, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal on Monday said.
Police on Monday registered a case against both Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress workers in connection with the violence outside Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal's residence during the main opposition party's protest over the coal block allocation issue.
Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal is credited with fast-tracking many issues that are caught in red-tape. The minister says the environment ministry's controversial policy barring mining in forest areas has left him troubled.
Ray of hope for power, metal companies.
Splitting Coal India Limited could increase competition and hence make production more efficient, but opinion is building against it.
Indicating an end to the year-long tussle over the controversial no-go mining issue, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal on Thursday said the problem had been resolved.
Says Coal India is ready to sign at 80% trigger level, with 15% imported coal on cost-plus model.
A direction is this regard was given on Wednesday after Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal met in the presence of the secretaries of the Department of Economic Affairs and Coal Ministry
The government on Monday said it would decide next month the fate of captive coal blocks lying idle with 82 companies, including ArcelorMittal, Tata Steel and NTPC, who have been issued notices for not developing them within the stipulated time.
The country's largest coal producer Coal India is likely to decide in 2-3 days on roping in anchor investors for its upcoming mega initial public offer, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said here on Friday.
On instructions from Congress president Sonia Gandhi, senior Union ministers were asked to brief Congress MPs on the allocation of coal blocks and the CAG report.
The government on Tuesday advised investors to stay put with Coal India Ltd to multiply their fortunes and compared the strengths of the company with gold, which is considered the best long-term bet to create wealth.
Aiming to garner over Rs 15,000 crore (Rs 150 billion) through the largest ever public offering in India, the government on Tuesday decided to price Coal India's IPO in the range of Rs 225-245 a share for divesting its 10 per cent stake.
Janata Dal - United members from Bihar on Wednesday forced the adjournment of the Lok Sabha over the issue of shortage of coal for thermal power plants in the state. As Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal rose to reply to a member's query during Question Hour, JD-U members led by Dinesh Chandra Yadav trooped to the Well, raising slogans over the "step-motherly treatment" meted out to Bihar with regard to coal linkages for power plants.
Union minister Sriprakash Jaiswal on Thursday said if Congress fails to get a majority in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls he sees a possibility of President's rule, a statement that came under attack from rivals, forcing him to go for damage control.
This follows an hour-long meeting Jaiswal had with Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh for resolving major issues hurting coal production.
With the Opposition adamant on the cancellation of coal blocks, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday deliberated with the party top brass in the midst of the logjam in Parliament. Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal was also called for the Congress Core Committee meeting and so were Law Minister Salman Khurshid and Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal.
Watch Live! Jaiswal and Chidambaram's press conference on the coal scam
The government on Wednesday expressed disappointment over a French company snapping up Mahatma Gandhi's Johannesburg house, through Sotheby's auction firm, but said it will continue efforts to acquire the heritage property through a public sector company."The matter concerns national sentiment and I will leave no stone unturned to acquire the historic property and declare it a national monument," said Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal.
Many power firms, including NTPC -- the largest consumer of Coal India -- have refused to sign the supply pacts as they are opposed to certain clauses like minimum assured supply and the penalty to be paid by the state-owned coal producer, in case it fails to meet the commitment.
Euphoric about India's biggest IPO, possibly to garner up to Rs 15,000 crore, from the world's largest coal producer CIL, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal on Friday said October is an "auspicious" month to launch the issue.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal to ensure that the report of the Inter Ministerial Group -- which is reviewing the allotments of coal blocks -- is on his table on September 16.
Justifying the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government's proposed move of providing a sub-quota for minorities, a Union minister on Saturday said that condition of poor Muslims and Buddhists in the county was "worse" than Dalits.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who on Tuesday met those injured in the Kalka Mail accident at a hospital in Kanpur, pulled up railway officials after the victims complained that they had not received the promised compensation.During his nearly 40-minute visit to Hallett Hospital, Rahul, who was accompanied by Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal and senior rail officials, inquired about the condition of those undergoing treatment in the Burns, Emergency and ICU wards.
Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal on Saturday admitted that some files related to the coal block allocation scam are missing.
