The Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG), set up to look into the alleged irregularities committed in the coal blocks allocation, will submit its report within 15 days.

This was stated by the Coal Minister Mr Sriprakash Jaiswal at a press conference in New Delhi today. He said the government had already de-allocated 26 coal blocks and the inter ministerial group has issued notices to those companies which have not yet started coal mining.

The minister said the government will take stringent action against the defaulters.

Referring to the BJP's demand for cancellation of all the allocated coal blocks, Mr Jaiswal said the move will help the companies to take legal course.
The BJP has said the country-wide raids by the CBI have vindicated the party's stand that wrongdoing was done in the coal blocks allocation.

Talking to reporters in New Delhi, party spokesman Prakash Javdekar questioned whether the CBI can reach the doorsteps at the highest in the government .

Mr Javadekar said the statements made by the HRD Minister Mr Kapil Sibal and the Finance Minister Mr P Chidambaram on the losses to the exchequer are contradictory.