DHANBAD: The Economics of Coal-The Mafia

Pramod K. Gupta

Pramod Kumar Gupta, an alumnus of the Jawaharlal Nehru University and a former IRS officer, recounts his memories and experiences at Dhanbad, the ‘Coal Capital of India’, where he was posted as Assistant Director of Income Tax (Investigation) in the early 1990s. Much has changed since then, but he wonders whether the ethos has and whether the coal industry can be seen in isolation. It needs a national character and a resolve to make a difference, he feels.

Pramod Kumar Gupta’s interface with the Mafia, the arson at his office and the role of the police and the CBI make for an interesting read. He was rewarded by the government for his investigations. This book by him provides insights into the functioning of the coal industry in general and the BCCL in particular. He also gives a vivid description of Dhanbad, the city and nearby places. He discusses the issue of overloading of commercial vehicles and informs of a reference made by an industrialist and the government’s positive response. For those interested in the dynamics of the coal industry, the book is a trove of information and analysis.

Pramod K. Gupta has served as an officer of the Indian Revenue Service (1984 batch). After his superannuation as Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax in October, 2019, he functioned as the CEO and Director General of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India. He suffered a haemorrhagic stroke in April, 2021, which was a near-death experience for him. Even while convalescing, he has been active with his pen and has several works to his credit. And Living Again was published in 2023. A collection of small poems in Hindi, Avyakta, was published simultaneously. Besides the present book Dhanbad: The Economics of Coal-The Mafia, another book, Living Through Times, has seen the light of day in 2024.

Contents

Preface

1. Coal: The Way We Go About It - CIL
2. Coal Industry Before Nationalisation
3. BCCL - Corruption and Mismanagement
4. Crime
5. Revenue and the Mafia - Personal Encounter
6. Coalgate: Indian Coal Allocation Scam(s)
7. Overloaded Vehicles / Trucks - Reference by Kedar Nath Mittal - Government’s Response
8. Dhanbad - Places Nearby
9. Coal Industry in a Nutshell
Acknowledgements