TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: The government has still not decided on granting of extensions to mining leases as three companies holding six leases missed the March 7th deadline to pay stamp duty and renew their leases.
Of the total Rs 294 crore, which was expected to come in from renewal of 16 mining leases, the government managed to earn Rs 139 crore from seven firms who paid up to renew their 10 leases. Assistant director Mines Parag Nagarcekar said that three companies have not paid the stamp duty and the last date for payment was Thursday.
The pleas of V M Salgaoncar having two leases (which had to pay stamp duty of Rs 5.79 and Rs 3.95 crore), Sesa Goa having three leases( Rs 20 crore, Rs 53.87 crore, Rs 46.73 crore), which had sought extension, were rejected. Both the firms were supposed to pay by February 28. The other company which had to pay is Madachem Bat Mines Pvt Ltd (Rs 50 lakh).
Nagarcekar said that it is for the government to decide whether further extension should be granted to these companies or not. “But we have not received any applications as of now, except for the earlier two,” he stated.
The seven firms which have paid up the stamp duty include- Cosme Costa, Littoferrao, G Parulekar, Pandurang Timblo (two leases), V D Chowgule (three leases) and Bandekar (two leases).
Goa government had amended Stamp Duty Act recently and now charges 15 per cent duty on the projected royalty amount for over 20 years. Leases of nearly 337 mines had expired in 2007 and have now applied for renewal.
