Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal has denied any corruption in allocation of coal blocks during the last 15 years. He, however, said whether the allocated companies misused the coal could only be ascertained after an inquiry.

Speaking to media persons in Bhubaneswar on Friday, he said successive governments pursued a policy of allocating coal blocks to private companies to make power available to the common man at an affordable price as Coal India alone could not meet the growing demand. He said such allocations were made after the companies entered into power purchase agreement with the Government.

To a question that Team Anna had attacked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, citing portions of a draft CAG report that coal blocks allocated when the coal ministry was with the Prime Minister, had resulted in loss of an estimated Rs 1.8 lakh crores, the Union Coal Minister declined to comment on allegations made by individuals or some political parties. He said if and when CAG gave such a report, the Government would examine it.