Jamshedpur, May 17: Chief minister Arjun Munda today lashed out at the Centre for the ?inordinate delay? in giving its nod to the companies that have applied for allocation of coal blocks in the state.

?These companies have already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government and have applied to the Centre to seek its green signal for allocation of coal blocks,? Munda told the Union coal secretary, P.C. Parekh during a meeting in Ranchi today.

?But the central government is sitting over these applications and thus preventing investments from taking place in the state.?

?It is extremely unfortunate that the Centre is treating Jharkhand in such a manner,? Munda told Parekh.

Senior officials of Central Coalfields Limited, Bharat Coking Coal Limited and Eastern Coalfields Limited were also present during the deliberations.

CMO officials said Munda warned that if the Centre continues like this, the state government would be forced to take steps that could create problems.

?Jharkhand provides nearly 90 per cent of the country?s requirement of coal to the different thermal power stations in the country. We are ready to do our duty but if our state is neglected, we would have little option but to initiate some harsh steps that would force Centre to sit up and take notice of our needs,? Munda said.