New Delhi: Goa government on Wednesday sought `special package’ from the centre to ward off the revenue loss faced due to stoppage of mining industry in the State.
State Chief Minister Pramod Sawant during his Delhi visit on Wednesday during pre-union budget consultation with the Finance Minister Nirmala Seetharaman placed the demand of special package to compensate the revenue loss arising due to stoppage of mining industry.
“Sawant said that the state is facing an annual revenue loss of Rs 1,400 crore due to shutting down of the mining industry,” a senior official from Chief Minister’s Office said.
The mining industry has been shut down since February 2018 after Supreme Court quashed 88 mining leases.
“Mining and tourism are the important sectors of Goan economy. However, the ban on mining has exerted tremendous pressure on the State’s economy,” CM has said in a note given to the Union Finance Ministry.
“There has been a direct revenue loss of Rs 1400 crore (per annum). A special package to bear this loss may be sanctioned for the State,” Sawant demanded with the centre.
Further, he said that the state face challenges of infrastructure facilities for tourism sector, as the annual Tourist inflow to the State is more than the five times to its population.
“Finance Minister can help the State through centrally sponsored hinterland tourism project in Goa,” the chief minister said.
Referring to International Film Festival of India (IFFI), the chief minister pointed out that Goa is the permanent venue for the IFFI, however, required infrastructure could not be developed owing to the financial crunch.
“Centre may sanction special grants for creation of facilities like Convention Centre,” Sawant said.
The chief minister also told the Finance Minister that Goa can be developed into an educational and health hub.
“There is a scope to set up institutions like The New Indian Institute of Management, National Law College, All India Institute of Medical Sciences etc,” he said.
