Panaji: Goa Mining People’s Front (GMPF) has urged Central government to bring in a required legislative amendment to the Mining Abolition Act, during the ongoing winter session of the Parliament to ensure recommencement of the industry in the State by end of this year.
In a press statement issued today, GMPF president Puti Gaonkar has also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convene the meeting of the Group of Ministers at the earliest so that the mining can be resumed immediately.
They have also requested Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant to arrange for their meeting with Prime Minister to discuss the issue and seek his intervention.
“Mining is one of the two major sources of livelihood in Goa and the complete shutdown of mining industry has adverse effect on the livelihoods of more than 3 lakh people in the State. The shutdown of the industry has caused an estimated loss of more than Rs 5000 crore per year to the State thereby adversely impacting the State’s finances,” Gaonkar said
Gaonkar said that we demand that the State and Central government resolve the mining issue in the ongoing winter session of the Parliament.
GMPF demanded that Goa Government should continue pushing the Centre and ensure that a legislative amendment, which will be a long term solution for sustainable mining in the State, is introduced during the ongoing Winter session.
