That Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was unable to fight vested interests in his government to push coal reforms is well known, even tragic, given how the BJP had left behind a Bill, in the Rajya Sabha, to open up coal mining to the private sector without restriction of captive use?it?s another matter that, in recent years, the party itself has had second thoughts and wants to restrict private mining to captive users. The CAG?s Coalgate report detailed how the prime minister wanted to open up the sector years before Coalgate took place, but allowed powerful political allies to over-rule him. Former coal secretary PC Parakh?s book, released Monday, fleshes this out. Like the CAG report, Parakh talks of how, in August 2004, the prime minister?who held the coal portfolio at that time?agreed with the proposal to replace the screening committee allotment of captive coal blocks with the bidding route, and a Cabinet note was prepared. Yet, based on a note written by the junior coal minister, the Prime Minister?s Office ended up writing a note explaining why open bidding was a bad idea?there would be no Coalgate had the PM asserted himself.
Parakh, however, never gave up, and that is why his book should be read by serving, and aspiring, bureaucrats. The junior minister kept blocking Parakh?s proposal, and at a later date, the prime minister handed back the ministry to Shibu Soren who also killed the auction proposal. Yet, when the PM took charge again in March 2005, Parakh revived his proposal. He still didn?t succeed due to vested interests, but in other cases he did. When a CMD had to be appointed for Coal India?the previous one had been suspended on corruption charges?and the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) had given its recommendations, the minister, as well as the junior minister, were not in favour of what PESB had recommended. So, a CVC report was asked for on allegations of corruption against the candidate; when the CVC said there was nothing to the allegations, the junior minister was in favour of ignoring the CVC?s advice?with Soren agreeing, the matter appeared dead. Yet, after failing to persuade the ministers, Parakh wrote to the Department of Personnel and Training asking for the matter to be placed before the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC). When asked for an explanation, Parakh pointed out that, under the law, only the ACC had the right to accept or reject a PESB recommendation. With the prime minister once again taking charge of the ministry, when Soren left to become Jharkhand chief minister, Parakh had his way.
It is very possible that, had Soren not left the ministry, Parakh would have been overruled again. But as a bureaucrat, he was expected to do his job fairly?there is even Constitutional protection?and that is what he did. And unlike his current contemporaries, who are only too happy not to take a decision, even when the CBI pursued Parakh for his role in allocating part of the Talabira block to Hindalco, Parakh has stood his ground, explaining why he was right, and within his rights, to take the decision. It would help brave bureaucrats, of course, if the political establishment also stood up for them.
England missing the chance of scoring hence lose their paradise while Croatians gain their paradise. Croatia qualifies for finals or the first time in the history of World Cup. Croatia will now face France on Sunday to decide the champions of the world.
England 1 – Croatia 2
Last card in England’s hand. England is awarded a free kick after ball touching the hand of Badelj.
Croatia brilliantly trying to defend England from scoring, England just has 4 four minutes to score an equaliser and get another life in the game.
In a minute the whole picture has changed. Perisic played hard to win the header which England let loose and Mandzukic getting that header perfectly managed to score an excellent goal and give an edge to Croatia.
England 1- Croatia 2
England looking good in the Extra Time, managed to just increase the pressure on Croatia but not the score. Both teams tired and exhausted are trying hard to score but the game has slowed down.
England 1 – Croatia 1
Perisic passing the ball to Mandzukic and Mandzukic having an eye to eye encounter with Pickford, he could’ve scored but Pickford having the courage of a lion comes ahead of Mandzukic and saves the goal. Brilliant save! But Mandzukic is hurt, he needs some medical attention.
England is looking better since the start of the extra time. Rose has been looking dangerous since he has started playing in the extra time, creating lots of opportunities for England to score and putting Croatia under pressure.
Trippier taking corner from the right sees Stones. Stones with a brilliant header gives the direction to the ball which it needed. Vrsaljko saving it brilliantly, saved Croatia from going down.
Rebic coming from behind with a sliding tackle, picks up a yellow card awarding a free kick again to England.
Zlatko Dalic brings in a fresh player in hope of scoring a goal. Josip Pivaric replaces Ivan Strinic.
The exciting half has come to an end with the score tied at 1-1. The game will now move on to extra time, both teams are tired, the game can turn into any direction.
England 1- Croatia 1
Harry Kane with an awesome through ball to Lingard gets past the defenders but Lingard not able to reach to the ball, misses the opportunity of scoring and giving England a late breakthrough.
Croatia is looking dangerous in the second half. With 54% possession, Croatia is not getting out of England’s box, attacking rapidly. England under a lots of pressure now and the game has started to escalate the excietment amongst the fans.
Ivan Perisic scoring his 2nd goal of the tournament gets Croatia the goal they were looking for. Vrsaljko throwing a cross into the box gets pass Walker and Perisic getting from behind shoots and scores and brilliant goal equalising the score.
England 1- Croatia 1
Perisic in an attempt to score a goal, strikes the ball very hard gets deflected from England’s defender, hits Walker below the waist and Walker lays down on the field. Croatia making another attempt of scoring pass the ball in the box, Walker in pain gets up and clears the ball with a header.
Croatia is making desperate attempts to score goal against England by attacking continuously but English defenders along with Pickford are defending the goal like a shield and not letting any Croatian striker break the shield.
Kyle Walker gets booked for not letting Croatia taking a quick throw in and getting into a fight with Croatian team but the referee was quick and calmed them down easily.
A very bad challenge by Rebic on Walker and with that challenge referee was forced to give Rebic a yellow card. Croatia now escalating their game in desperation of scoring a goal.
England dominating the game has shown that they won’t let Croatia win and will take their revenge of Euro Cup 2008.
Score after halftime
England 1- Croatia 0
Rebic coming from behind and giving a bad challenge to Young hence providing another free-kick to England. Croatia’s attempts of getting the ball shows their desperation to score the goal in this match.
A brilliant move by England, Trippier passing the ball to Kane in the centre, Kane passing it in the box to Alli, and Alli instead of curving the ball into the goal passes to Lingard but Lingard misses the chance of scoring by shooting wide off target.
Harry Kane getting a brilliant pass from Lingard but misses the opportunity of scoring and increasing the chance of England’s victory and his position in the Golden Boot’s race.
Lovren with another bad challenge on Sterling. This gives England another chance of scoring and increasing the lead by 2 but Subasic saving Croatia with his quickness and strength, clearing out the ball from Croatia’s penalty box.
Liverpool’s Lovren came swarming into Harry Kane with a bad challenge doing another foul. Croatia is playing really hard and rough to score a goal to comeback into the game.
With the continuous attack by English players and after the goal of Trippier, Croatia is under lots of pressure to score in order to make a come back into the game. England is dominating the game with the ball remaining in Croatia’s side for majority of the time.
England has come to win this match and has exhibited with a brilliant goal scored by England’s Trippier. Remarkable free kick was taken by Trippier to which goalkeeper had no answer.
England 1- Croatia 0
Both teams have arrived at the field and are ready to fight and win this match to qualify for the finals and face France.
The two sides have met seven times in the past with England winning the last two clashes. Many supporters are viewing this match as England’s chance of revenge. England went down 3-4 to Croatia that snatched the country’s chance of qualifying for Euro 2008.
Overall England has won 4 games out of 7 against Croatia with one game remaining tied.
England will be looking forward to win this match and take their revenge for the loss in Euro 2008.
Football is never complete without a goalkeeper. A goalkeeper is the most important player of the tournament. A good striker might score in a match, players might be able to stop the opponent player from coming to their half, but the goalkeeper has no option of missing the ball, he has to save it.
Pickford and Subasic will be playing a very important role. Both the players have been performing very well in the tournament, Croatia’s Subasic having an upperhand with better statistics than Pickford.
Croatia though playing well in the Group matches had to struggle a bit against Denmark in Round of 16 and against Russia in the quarter-final, both game going to penalties where Croatia made the difference and won the game.
Zlatko Dalic has made only one change in the playing XI, Andrej Kramaric is replaced by Marcelo Brozovic.
Croatia XI- Subasic (Gk), Vrsaljko, Lovren, Vida, Strinic, Rakitic, Brozovic, Rebic, Modric, Perisic, Mandzukic.
England has performed brilliantly since the starting of the tournament. England has won every match in the tournament, breaking their curse of not winning in penalties against Colombia after defeating them 4-3 in penalties. England thrashed Sweden in the quarterfinals 2-0 and will now be ready to face Croatia in the semi-final and will be hoping to win.
England XI- Pickford (Gk), Walker, Stones, Maguire, Trippier, Young, Lingard, Henderson, Dele, Kane, Sterling