Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government has decided to amend the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Rules to unlock around Rs 124 crore kept in fixed deposits, for implementing it towards developmental works in the mining areas.
The decision was taken by the state-level monitoring committee (SLMC) of the Goa District Mineral Foundation Trust (GDMFT) headed by the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, during a meeting held on September 30.
As per the minutes of the meeting, the GDMFT has total Rs 247.82 crore funds, of which Rs 136.26 crore is with North Goa District Mineral Foundation Trust (NGDMFT) and Rs 111.56 crore is with South Goa DMFT.
As per DMF rules, 50 per cent of the funds are kept in fixed deposits (FDs), while the balance 50 per cent is available for spending for high priority projects such as drinking water supply, environmental preservation and pollution control measures, healthcare, education, welfare of women & children, welfare of aged and disabled people, skill development and sanitation, and other priority areas like physical infrastructure, irrigation, energy and watershed development.
During the meeting, Parag Rangnekar from GDMFT’s Project Management unit informed that a total of 63 projects have been sanctioned of which 36 are completed, with government sanctioning an amount of Rs 71.06 crore.
Under DMFT (North), there are 41 sanctioned projects, of which 21 have been completed and 20 are ongoing. As against fund allocation of Rs 66.4 crore, an amount of Rs 45.43 crore is sanctioned. Besides, there are 18 projects in the pipeline for consideration in North.
Under DMFT (South), there are 22 sanctioned projects, of which 15 have been completed and seven are ongoing. As against fund allocation of Rs 54.3 crore, Rs 25.6 crore is sanctioned. Besides, there are 13 projects in the pipeline for consideration.
“SLMC decided that DMF rules may be amended to unlock 50 per cent funds kept in FDs for development works by DMFT (North) and DMFT (South),” the minutes of the meeting stated.
The Chief Minister directed that henceforth funds to be made available within one week of receipt of complete documentation.
