TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: The government Tuesday said that closure of mining operations has had a significant impact on Value Added Tax collection, as the population residing along the mining belt has reduced their spending.
“The spending has definitely come down…It has affected VAT collection. Chief Minister (Manohar Parrikar) had declared…” Chief Secretary B Vijayan told reporters on the sidelines of Revolution Day function in the capital Tuesday.
The VAT collection has dropped by Rs 250 crore for the financial year 2012-13, the chief secretary said, adding that government had projected Rs 2250 crore tax collection but the actual collection was only Rs 2,000 crore, which is a 12 per cent drop.
He however ruled out that recession was due to stoppage of mining. “Recession is a global phenomenon. The world is going through recession since 2008. It is not related to Goa alone,” he replied to a media question while also adding that Goa government has released schemes for mining closure affected people to increase their spending capacity.
With chances of revival of mining industry in Goa in near future appearing remote even as the matter is pending in the Supreme Court, the government in March introduced umbrella scheme ‘Mining affected or impacted relief scheme 2013’ of one-year period for those who have lost employment because of the mining closure.
Under the schemes, financial benefit will be disbursed to more than 10,000 mining dependents including the tipper truck and barge owners. Several, along the mining belt, have already received the benefit while more applications are in the process of being scrutinized.
A monthly remuneration between Rs 8,000 and Rs 12,000 is being given to each trucker for a period of one year or till mining resumes, whichever is earlier.
A monthly remuneration between Rs 8,000 and Rs 12,000 is being given to each trucker for a period of one year or till mining resumes, whichever is earlier
