Panaji: With the Ministry of Mines proposing reforms in the mineral sector and calling for suggestions from stakeholders, the Goa Mining People’s Front (GMPF) has asked the central government to consider legislative changes in the Goa Daman and Diu (Abolition and Declaration of Mining Leases) Act 1987, for immediate restart of mining in the state.
The GMPF, on Monday, asked the Centre to consider amendments to the Goa Daman and Diu Mining Concessions (Abolition and Declaration of Mining Leases) Act, 1987 by making the Act prospective from 1987 that is fifty years as mandated under MMDR Act, 2015.
Puti Gaonkar, president of GMPF, said that the amendment would bring Goa on par with other states and harmonise the state mining law with the MMDR (Amendment) Act of 2015, because the current inequality allows all other states except Goa to extend mining lease for a period of 50 years from earlier provision of 20 years.
The GMPF has also sought an amendment in the District Mineral Fund (DMF) rules and asked for use of the fund to create alternative employment in addition to agricultural schemes for sustaining long-term opportunities for residents in the mining belt.
The GMPF said that DMF funds can be used for skill training, specialised educational programmes, providing micro-finance and credit to local entrepreneurs and self help groups thus creating alternate source of livelihood.
The Ministry of Mines on August 24, 2020, put up a notice on its website for proposed reforms in the mineral and mining sector aimed at attracting private investments to the sector. The last date for posting comments or suggestions to the proposed reforms is September 10.
In the suggestion letter, Gaonkar said, “Goa’s mining industry has been neglected in all the policy reforms incorporated by the central government in the past and this time also there seems to be nothing in Goa’s interest in the proposed reforms in mineral sector. It may be because of lack of consultation between state and Centre, which is extremely worrisome because the mining industry and economy of the state is being neglected by the Centre in spite of severe damage in past couple of years after the mining ban.”
