PORVORIM: The State Government on Wednesday appealed to mining companies to employ retrenched workers on priority after iron ore activities are resumed in full swing. Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar told the State legislative Assembly that it’s the government decision that mining companies should give priority to those retrenched workers, who were left unemployed due to closer of the industry. “Those who have lost work should be first accommodated by the mining firms once the mining resumes. Government wants that they should be given preference,” he stated. Parsekar was responding to the worry raised by BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral who sought to know whether the government has issued any directions to the mining companies to employ those who were rendered jobless due to the closure of the industry. “I presume that the mining leases were renewed with a condition that those lost their jobs earlier will be accommodated on priority,” Cabral said. Earlier, replying to a question tabled by BJP MLA Subhash Naik, Parsekar said that the financial assistance and one-time settlement scheme introduced to provide solace to the people affected due to ban, are wound up as the extraction and export activity has resumed in the State. “The mining activity has resumed. I know the activity is yet to pick up but gradually the mining will resume full fledged. The schemes were introduced to provide financial cushion to those affected with mining closure. Now since the activity has resumed there is no point in continuing the schemes, hence they are closed,” Parsekar said.
‘Employ retrenched mining workers first’
