CAG report on coal blocks only a draft: Pranab Mukherjee

Amid uproar in parliament over the reports of alleged coal scam of Rs10.7 lakh crore, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said CAG's report is only a draft.

"It (Comptroller and Auditor General's report on coal allocation) is not yet CAG report. It is a draft report", he told reporters here.

Mukherjee further said, "normal practise is they (come out with) draft report... then Ministry's comment come. After the comments... there is a regular system through which it will be placed on the table of (both Houses) Parliament."

CAG's draft report has estimated a Rs10.6 lakh crore loss to the exchequer on account of allotment of coal blocks without auction, during 2004 to 2009, to 100 private and public sector companies.

The draft created a political storm leading to disruption of proceedings of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

The official auditor has estimated a "windfall gain" of Rs6.31 lakh crore (PSUs - Rs3.37 lakh crore and private parties - Rs2.94 lakh crore) based on the prices prevailing during the year of allocation on constant cost and price basis as on March 31, 2011.

The CAG report comes more than a year after its report on the allocation of scarce 2G telecom spectrum on first-come-first-service basis. It had estimated a presumptive loss of Rs1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer.