Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Thursday clarified his stand on the letter he wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about eight years ago for Hindalco.

 

 Patnaik's statement comes after reports that the Central Bureau of Investigation could  question him in the alleged coal block allocation scam, as he wrote the letter after the Aditya Birla Company application seeking the block was rejected in 2005.

 

 He told reporters here he wrote the letter Aug 17, 2005 keeping the best interests of the state in mind. The chief minister said he had written indicating Hindalco's request for Talabira II coal block in the Ib valley of Jharsuguda district of Odisha be examined.

 

 As per the procedure for coal block allocation, the final decision rests with the  central government, he said.

 

 –Indo-Asian News Service