Panaji | Aug 26, 2015: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inquired with chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar about the resumption of mining activities in the state. Parsekar informed Modi that the Vedanta Limited has resumed mining activities in Goa and by October more mining companies will resume their operations. During the Lok Sabha election campaign, Modi had assured the people of the state that as soon as BJP comes to power at the Centre, the Union government will help the state government to resume mining activities in the state.
Parsekar told the prime minister that some mining companies have approached him and assured to resume mining activities by October. Parsekar said that the state government has kept the target for resumption of mining activities by October.
After the ban for around three years, Vedanta Limited has become the first mining company in Goa to start mining activities in the state.
The main trading body of mine owners in the state, the Goa mineral ore exporters association (GMOEA), on Saturday said that the major mining companies in Goa will resume work post-Ganesh Chaturthi.
Parsekar, in his Independence day speech, has urged the mining companies to immediately start mining operations in the interest of the state. Mining in Goa came to a halt in September 2012 after the then Manohar Parrikar government suspended mining operations following the Shah Commission report on illegal mining which was tabled in the Parliament. Before mining came to a halt, the state exported around 45 million tonne of iron ore.
(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)