PANJIM: In a major decision, the State government has unlocked 100 per cent of the funds of Goa District Mineral Foundation Trust (GDMFT), amounting to over Rs 240 crore for undertaking developmental works in the mining areas.
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.
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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 and children, welfare of aged and disabled people, skill development and sanitation, and other priority areas like physical infrastructure, irrigation, energy and watershed development.
However, earlier this week, the Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG) amended the GDMFT Act to allow the entire amount including the interest generated thereon, for utilising exclusively for carrying out activities in accordance with the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY).
An amount not exceeding five per cent of the total annual receipts of such amount, or such upper limit fixed by the government, may be utilised for administrative, supervisory and overhead costs of the District Mineral Foundation.
