Mining likely to bring in Rs 500 cr: CM

Panaji: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said that once the Mopa International Airport is ready, it will create 25,000 jobs by 2022. He also said that the government is expecting revenue of Rs 500 crore from mining, for the financial year 2020-21.

Addressing media in the presence of Finance Secretary Daulat Hawaldar, after presenting the annual statement in the state legislative assembly, Sawant said that he has not put burden of taxes on the common man.

“The government has proposed to generate additional revenue by enhancing excise duties and fees, increasing value of stamp duty, revising land rates as per determination of true market value of property rules, land conversion fees, court fees, introducing professional tax etc, which is minimal and will not put any burden on the common man,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that he has proposed a Shram Sanmaan Scheme for farmers and working class, which will be formulated by the agriculture department. “An idea to propose this scheme is that those who are doing hard work in the fields should get financial assistance and it should send a message that one should not just depend on money that one gets without availing any scheme,” he said.

Sawant also said that he has announced the Chief Minister’s apprenticeship scheme on the lines of Gujarat government, wherein college students will get Rs 1,500 from the central government, some share from the state government and some amount from the private companies during apprenticeship period of one year. “This will help create work culture in the state,” he said.

The Chief Minister informed that it is proposed to streamline the stray cattle scheme, which intends to involve more non-government organisations, which will also create employment.

He said that the idea of making it mandatory to register businesses related to hinterland tourism, adventure tourism and eco-tourism is to encourage self-employment among the youth. Sawant said that the tourist guide support scheme will also generate employment for youth.

“The government has not stopped any social welfare scheme. In fact, I have asked to clear 10,000 pending applications for Griha Aadhar Scheme by the end of this month and remaining 15,000 by March 31,” he said.