PANJIM/VASCO: Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday morning at New Delhi.
The Chief Minister said he had fruitful discussions with the Prime Minister on various issues including mining.
Later, the Chief Minister also met Union Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi along with the Secretary, to discuss the mining matter at length. “We are hopeful of a positive outcome to mining matter in coming days,” the CM said after the meeting.
On his return the same evening, Sawant at Dabolim Airport said that the current condition of mining and the need to start mining operations taking into consideration the economic loss and unemployment was put forth before the Prime Minister. He said Modi has asked for a review meeting within a few days in the presence of Joshi and the Home Minister to discuss the issue.
Sawant also mentioned that he Joshi gave a patient hearing to this issue and understood it. He added that the importance of mining resumption in Goa was explained to the Mines minister. It was decided that within ten days, officers from Mines Minister’s office and officers from the State government will meet and a fruitful outcome could be expected from this.
The CM also said that he gave details of the COVID-19 scenario of Goa to the Prime Minister, stressing on testing, medical facilities, hospitals.
Asked about reports of the ship INS Viraat docking in Goa, the CM said the Central government is not willing to bring the ship to Goa and that nothing has been finalised in this regard at this moment.
He added that the Union Minister Shripad Naik feels that if the INS Viraat is brought to Goa it may boost to tourism, but this is at a very early stage.
This was the Chief Minister’s first visit to national capital since the lockdown that began in March.
