Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat
on Thursday told a gathering of mining industry players that the state mining policy would be notified only after Central
government is through with its Mines and Minerals Development
Regulation Bill 2011.
Kamat said that Goa Mineral Policy is already in a draft
stage and is kept on hold awaiting the notification of MMDR
Bill 2011.
There are some elements in MMDR Bill that would have to
be embedded in the state policy," the Chief Minister said
during the inauguration of two day conference on 'Sustainable
Mining Practices,' organised by Federation of Indian chambers
of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
Goa government has framed draft state Mineral Policy,
which has recommended Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the
mining sector and also a proper environment management by
having buffer zone between forest and mining leases.
The state is a major exporter of Iron Ore, especially to
China. Through its 90-odd mining leases, the exports had
touched 54 million metric tons mark last fiscal, which was
half of India’s Iron ore exports.
Kamat hoped that the ongoing session of the Parliament
would pass MMDR Bill, so that Goa can go ahead with
notification of its own policy by making certain amendments.
"We will not put the policy for recommendations and
suggestions again," he clarified.
"There are certain things like 100 per cent payment of
royalty for social welfare and formation of district authority
under MMDR 2011 Bill , which needs to be considered even in
the state bill," he said.
The Chief Minister said that state government has put in
place several regulatory mechanism so that the mining is
checked.
He conceded that the mining and environment do not go
together and hence mining companies are asked to ensure proper
management policies.
"The mining has to be done with social obligations in
mind. There is feeling that mining industry does not benefit
the people, who reside in the place where extraction is done,"
Kamat said.
The conference on sustainable mining practices, which was
inaugurated o Thursday, has union mines ministry officials,
stakeholders and local government officials deliberating on
long term objectives in the sector.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, December 08, 2011, 17:44