Minister admits inferior coal supplied, denies fraud in tender process

Tuesday, 24 February 2026 02:58 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Agriculture Minister K.D. Lalkantha yesterday acknowledged that inferior quality coal had been supplied under a recent tender, but rejected allegations of fraud or corruption in the procurement process.

Addressing reporters, the Minister said the claims regarding substandard coal were “true,” but insisted there had been no wrongdoing in the awarding of the tender.

“The allegations that inferior quality coal has been supplied is true. But there has been no fraud or corruption behind the coal tender. The allegations are mere claims,” he said.

Lalkantha said there are established mechanisms and criteria in place to recover losses incurred by the Government due to the supply of substandard coal.

He added that the authorities would act in accordance with those criteria to ensure any financial losses to the country are addressed.

The Minister also maintained that the current administration is following transparent procurement procedures when awarding tenders. In contrast, he claimed that under the previous Government, suppliers were selected after Cabinet decisions, implying a less structured process.

However, the Minister did not provide details on the volume of coal in question, the supplier involved, or the estimated financial impact of the quality shortfall.