Panaji: The mining company owners from Goa on Tuesday extended help the state government’s initiative to fight back COVID-19 through Goa Iron Ore Permanent Fund.
Goa Mineral Ore Exporters’ Association (GMOEA) President Ambar Timblo, in a letter to the chief minister, has said that the industry is with the state government in its fight to combat COVID-19.
“The Mining Industry in Goa is entirely supportive of the bold precautionary measures called out by the Central Government as well as the initiations attempted by the State of Goa, at this hour of need, to contain the spread which has affected public movement drastically,” Timblo said.
“While we do realize the extremely tight revenue constraints of the State, however, the present crisis has led to even a greater challenge for the State and it is of utmost priority that the efforts on above subject must not be compromised for lack of funds,” he said.
Goa government has already decided to divert fund from District Mineral Fund.
Timblo said “while we appreciate that State Governments have been permitted to use a portion of the District Mineral Fund (DMF) for Health related immediate screening of patients and building/refurnishing laboratories to combat the Covid19, an additional collection had also been realized towards the intergenerational equity in the State of Goa that is the Goa Iron Ore Permanent Fund ( GIOPF),” he added.
“We understand that, till date, Rs 399 crores has already been collected by the State Government towards the GIOPF alone, apart from Rs 190 Crores by way of DMF,” he said.
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