PORVORIM: CM Pramod Sawant on Wednesday assured Members in the legislative Assembly that the successful bidder of iron ore mining blocks ‘shall give preference in employment to local residents at all levels of operation, subject to such residents being available, qualified and suitable for such employment.’
Sawant said that 9 iron ore mining blocks have already been successfully e-auctioned till date. The successful bidders are in the process of obtaining various approvals to start operations, he said. Referring to the retrenched workers, the CM clarified that new lease bidders had agreed to provide employment to all mining workers but only 93 joined, while 208 workers refused to join the new company despite the government’s efforts to help local workers.
