PANAJI | May 22, 2015: Goa state government has informed the mines ministry that the first block of mining leases is likely to be put up for auction in 2020.
As many as 254 mining leases are valid in the state, excluding the 89 mining leases, which were recently renewed by the state government. These leases are spread over Pernem, Sattari, Ponda, Sanguem, Bardez, Bicholim, Tiswadi and Quepem talukas.
State mines secretary Pawan Sain, who was present at the coordination cum empowered committee (CCEC) meeting in Delhi, said that auctioning of leases would be subject to the Supreme Court order in the special leave petition (SLP) filed by leaseholders challenging the Union government's 1987 decision to abolish mining concessions given by the erstwhile Portuguese regime and turn the same into leases.
The SLP is pending before a constitutional bench. "In case of Goa, no lease could be considered prior to 2020," minutes of the CCEC meeting said.
The state government also informed the mines ministry that they are yet to identity the mining leases which would be put up for auctioning.
The central government had recently passed Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Amendment Bill, 2015 and according to the Bill, once the lease period expires, the leases have to be auctioned as per procedure specified in the ordinance.
During the Portuguese period, Goa had 806 mining concessions, and in 1987 after the concessions were abolished and converted into leases, the number had reduced to 595 leases.
In 1987-88 and in 2000, 438 lease holders had applied for first renewal. Subsequently, 413 lease holders had applied in 2006 for second renewal.
Out of 595 valid mining leases in Goa, the state government cancelled 252 mining leases of those lease holders who had not applied during the first or second renewal of mining leases in 1987 and 2007. On October 2013, 119 mining leases were cancelled and another 133 were cancelled in November 2013.
The Goa government will auction 89 mining leases in the state after the expiry of their lease period in 2027.
Mining in Goa, which had come to a halt in September 2012 after the Shah Commission report on illegal mining was tabled in the parliament, is yet to resume. During the active mining phase, around 110 mining leases were in operation and around 45 million tonnes of iron ore were exported from Goa.
(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)