‘Centre studying Goa’s proposal on MMDR Act’

PANAJI: Refraining from giving any specific assurance regarding Goa government’s proposal for amending the Mines and Miners (Development and Regulation) Act 1957, the Union ministry for mines has said the proposal has been under examination.

In a written reply to the unstarred question raised by South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar in the Lok Sabha on Thursday the Union Minister of State for Mines and Coal Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary said the proposal has been under examination of the mines ministry.

“A proposal has been received from the government of Goa to amend the MMDR Act and the same is under examination of the ministry of mines,” the reply stated. The reply also stated that as per the information provided by the government of Goa the annual revenue from mining in the state for financial year 2017-18 was Rs 510.19 crore of which Rs 267.11 crore was from royalty, Rs 165.85 crore was from the Goa Iron Ore Permanent Fund, Rs 72.47 crore was from the District Mineral Foundation and Rs 4.76 crore from the National Mineral Exploration Trust.

Reacting to the reply from the mines ministry, Sawaikar wrote that at least the “theory and the propaganda” that the Goa government’s proposal has been rejected by the mines ministry has been put to rest now.

Courtesy: The Navhind Times