today’s ET carried a story which tries to answer one of the many puzzling questions thrown up by the coal scam — how did small, obscure companies like Jas Infrastructure or Vini Steel & Power bag a coal block where larger, more established ones failed?

a part of the answer lies in, yes, the screening committee which was allocating blocks. however, the companies too did their bit to come across as worthy suitors for a coal block. today’s ET carries a story that details the four things these cos did to get blocks, and how they monetised thereafter.

briefly, they outlined aggressive expansion plans, they signed MoUs with state governments, they invested some money on the project to make it look like they were serious about it, and, they talked up their financial numbers.

take a look?