PANJIM: Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Friday said that the process to set up the Goa Mining Development Corporation to resume mining activity has already been initiated.
“The process to form the Mining Corporation has been started and the file has been sent to the Law Department for vetting,” Sawant said, when asked about the formation of the proposed mining corporation.
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Sawant in his State Budget 2021-2022 had announced the formation of the Goa State Mining Development Corporation to restart mining activity which had been halted in the State after from March 2018 after the Supreme Court had quashed and set aside the second renewal of 88 mining leases. He had also stated that a bill would be introduced in the Budget session of the Legislative Assembly. The session was, however, adjourned due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.
The apex court in its judgement had given two options to the government – either set up a mining development corporation or auction the mining leases.
Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association (GMOEA) and NGO Goa Foundation had welcomed the State government’s decision to set up a State-run mining corporation to restart iron ore activities in the State.
Goa Foundation had said that the government’s decision is a step in the right direction and suggested that the management had to be completely professional and not run by bureaucrats and politicians.
However, GMOEA was of the opinion that the resumption of mining operations should be as per prevailing laws and acts as well as in accordance with the matter before the court.
