TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The halt in mining activities in the State has resulted in a revenue shortfall of only around Rs 279 crore for the period from April 2012 to December 2012, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said in a written reply tabled on the Floor of the House.
The state has managed to earn revenue of around Rs 335.95 crore for the ongoing financial year from mines, both major and minor minerals.
Government had collected Rs 1,076 core for the calendar year 2011 as mining royalties. Parrikar also said that the mining contribution to the gross state domestic product was 19.8% in 2010-11.
Government had projected Rs 1000 crore as mining royalty for the year 2012-13. Mining activity in the State has been halted with action against illegal mining beginning after the tabling of Justice M B Shah Commission report on illegal mining in Goa, in the Parliament. The report has pegged scam of Rs 35,000 crore in the sector.
The case on the ban is being fought in the Supreme Court with the matter likely to come-up for hearing sometime in mid-April.
Also replying to a question tabled by Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane, Parrikar said the shortfall cannot be fully matched and efforts will be made to recover royalty on minor minerals along with expediting the registration of renewal of mining leases. “Steps have been taken to consolidate and enforce revenue recovery mechanisms which have shown positive results,” Parrikar said.
