Amit Shah assures Goans to resume mining after polls, says BJP concerned about Goa

PANAJI: The Modi Govt at the Centre is pushing for the resumption of mining in Goa and it will start functioning with “double force” after the election process is over, Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured Goans on Sunday during his visit to the coastal state.

“I am telling you after the elections, through a transparent auctioning process, Goa’s mining industry will start working with double force,” Shah said while addressing a public rally at Sanvordem assembly constituency, a mining-dominated belt around 70 kms from Panaji, to campaign for BJP candidate and former MLA Ganesh Gaonkar ahead of the February 14 state elections.

“We have never made any false promises to Goans regarding the resumption of mining in the State. We are bound by the Supreme Court orders, but the Centre has worked out a formula which will be put into action after the elections are over,” Shah promised Goa.

The mining operations, which used to one of the major sources of revenue for Goa, came to a grinding halt in the state in March 2018 after the Supreme Court quashed 88 mining leases.

Mining operations will resume through a transparent auctioning process with “double force” in the state, he said.