PORVORIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured the House on Wednesday that iron ore mining activities in the State would resume in the upcoming mining season and most likely before March 2024.
In response to queries from MLAs across party lines regarding the timeline for mining resumption, Sawant disclosed that mining activities would begin in the coming season, specifically in November. He also announced the introduction of a Dump Policy, intending to e-auction approximately 700 million tons of ore located outside the lease bound areas, scheduled for announcement by August.
“The speed at which mining block bidders participated in the first e-auction suggests that mining is likely to commence this season. By November-December, at least one mineral block should be operational, and full-fledged activities are expected before March 2024. We assure you that 100% mining will resume,” stated Sawant confidently. Regarding the dump ore situated outside the lease bound areas, including private, comunidade, and government land, Sawant affirmed that the State would conduct the e-auction. However, he expressed doubts about the possibility of lifting ore from forest areas and emphasised that the policy would adhere to Supreme Court directions.
Sawant also projected that the mining sector would achieve 80% of its revenue target in the current financial year.
Legislators from both, the ruling and the opposition parties, raised concerns about the resumption of mining citing the government’s past failures to meet deadlines.
LoP Yuri Alemao questioned the government’s decision to allow mining companies, previously identified as major revenue defaulters and involved in illegal mining, to participate in the e-auction process. He demanded reassurance that the government had taken measures to prevent further defaults, considering their failure to recover pending dues from the listed defaulters as reported by the chartered accountant.
