Coalgate: If coal is not mined, where is the loss? asks Chidambaram

August 24, 2012

New Delhi, August 24: The government on Friday rejected the CAG report on allocation of coal blocks in which it has indicated a Rs 1.85 lakh crore ($37 billion) loss to the exchequer, saying the notion of presumptive loss is flawed.

"If the coal is not being mined, there is no question of gain or loss... the notion of this presumptive loss is flawed," finance minister PChidambaram said at a joint press conference here with coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal.

Chidambaram said there has been hardly any mining of coal from the allocated blocks which are taken into consideration by the auditor. "As long as coal remain in mother earth there is no loss," he said.

Out of the 57 blocks considered by the CAG, mining was carried out in only one block.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) last week revealed that lack of transparency in the allocation of coal blocks to private players resulted in the loss of a whopping Rs 1.85 lakh crore ($37 billion) to the exchequer.

Jaiswal said the government didn't agree with the CAG assessment. "We don't agree with the CAG report," he said.

Jaiswal said that he had asked the CAG to consult coal ministry official before preparing the final report. "But the CAG did not consult our officials," he said.

He said the CAG also did not take into consideration the views of attorney general and the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on coal mining.

Chidambaram said it was the UPA government which brought about a change in policy for transparency and for that it was now being blamed.

"If you did nothing you will not be blamed; if you tried to change you will be blamed - is that the standard by which we will conduct our public affairs," he asked.

Asked about the future coarse of action on coal block allocations, Chidambaram said the government will take the decision taking into consideration the reports and views of the CAG, the attorney general and the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM).

The finance minister made a fervent appeal to the opposition, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to allow Parliament to function from Monday.

Chidambaram said the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was ready to make a statement and debate the issue in Parliament in whatever manner the opposition wanted.

"The Prime Minister is willing to make a statement in the Parliament. He is fully prepared to answer all the questions that may arise," Chidambaram said.

Both Houses of Parliament were repeatedly adjourned for the fourth consecutive day on Friday as BJP kept up its demand for the Prime Minister's resignation over irregularities in allocation of coal blocks.

"We are disappointed that BJP is unwilling to allow Parliament to function and unwilling to discuss the matter on the floor of the House," the finance minister said.

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Indian Air Force’s Tejas fighter jet crashes during Dubai air show

News Network

November 21,2025

An Indian Air Force (IAF) Tejas fighter jet crashed on Friday, November 21, afternoon during its aerial demonstration at the Dubai Air Show, plunging to the ground at around 2:10 pm local time while performing a manoeuvre before thousands of spectators.

The IAF confirmed the incident, stating that a Tejas aircraft participating in the show had crashed and that further details were being gathered. An Air Force spokesperson said more information would be shared after initial assessments.

The crash sent thick black smoke billowing into the sky near the airport, causing panic among visitors, including families and children who had gathered to watch the display. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the pilot managed to eject before the aircraft went down. Emergency response teams rushed to the scene, and officials have not released information on casualties or damage so far.

The Tejas is a 4.5-generation, multi-role fighter aircraft developed indigenously by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Designed for versatility, it is capable of offensive air support, close combat, ground attack missions and maritime operations. The aircraft family includes single-seat fighters and twin-seat trainers for both the Air Force and Navy.

HAL describes the latest version, the LCA Mk1A, as the most advanced in the series, featuring an AESA radar, an upgraded electronic warfare suite with radar-warning and self-protection jamming, smart multifunction displays, a digital map generator, a combined interrogator–transponder system and a modern radio altimeter. These enhancements significantly improve the aircraft’s combat capability and survivability.

Further updates from IAF and UAE authorities are awaited.

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Chaos continues as IndiGo cancels more flights including 73 from Bengaluru airport

News Network

December 4,2025

Domestic carrier IndiGo has cancelled over 180 flights from three major airports — Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru — on Thursday, December 4, as the airline struggles to secure the required crew to operate its flights in the wake of new flight-duty and rest-period norms for pilots.

While the number of cancellations at Mumbai airport stands at 86 (41 arrivals and 45 departures) for the day, at Bengaluru, 73 flights have been cancelled, including 41 arrivals, according to a PTI report that quoted sources.

"IndiGo cancelled over 180 flights on Thursday at three airports-Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru," the source told the news agency.

Besides, it had cancelled as many as 33 flights at Delhi airport for Thursday, the source said, adding, "The number of cancellations is expected to be higher by the end of the day."

The Gurugram-based airline's On-Time Performance (OTP) nosedived to 19.7 per cent at six key airports — Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad — on December 3, as it struggled to get the required crew to operate its services, down from almost half of December 2, when it was 35 per cent.

"IndiGo has been facing acute crew shortage since the implementation of the second phase of the FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitations) norms, leading to cancellations and huge delays in its operations across the airports," a source had told PTI on Wednesday.

Chaos continued at several major airports for the third day on Thursday because of the cancellations.

A spokesperson for the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru said that 73 IndiGo flights had been cancelled on Thursday.

At least 150 flights were cancelled and dozens of others delayed on Wednesday, airport sources said, leaving thousands of travellers stranded, according to news agency Reuters.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has said it is investigating IndiGo flight disruptions and has asked the airline to submit the reasons for the current situation, as well as its plans to reduce flight cancellations and delays.

It may be mentioned here that the pilots' body, Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), has alleged that IndiGo, despite getting a two-year preparatory window before the full implementation of new flight duty and rest period norms for cockpit crew, "inexplicably" adopted a "hiring freeze".

The FIP said it has urged the safety regulator, the DGCA, not to approve airlines' seasonal flight schedules unless they have adequate staff to operate their services "safely and reliably" in accordance with the New Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms.

In a letter to the DGCA late on Wednesday, the FIP urged the DGCA to consider re-evaluating and reallocating slots to other airlines, which have the capacity to operate them without disruption during the peak holiday and fog season if IndiGo continues to "fail in delivering on its commitments to passengers due to its own avoidable staffing shortages."

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