Goa mining body demands financial assistance from govt

The Goa Mining People's Front in a public meeting on Tuesday demanded financial assistance of Rs 25000 per month to those affected by the closure of mines in the state. The outfit also urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ensure speedy resolution of the mining crisis in the state.

Mining came to a standstill in Goa in March last year after the Supreme Court cancelled 88 leases and banned the extraction of fresh iron ore. "Shah should convene a meeting of group of ministers to resolve the mining issue. Meanwhile, Goa government should give mining dependents financial assistance of Rs 25,000 per month and immediate assistance of Rs one lakh before Ganesh Chaturthi. These people have no income for 18 months now," GMPF chief Puti Gaonkar said after the meeting in Usgao, around 40 kilometres from here.

He said e-auctioning of ore and sale of ore dumps is not practical and cannot compensate the mining dependents for the lack of jobs currently..