Congress to restart mining in Goa within 3 to 6 months of forming govt: Chidambaram

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Panaji: If the Congress government comes to power in the February 14 elections, the party would look to restart the state`s mining industry within three to six months, former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said on Sunday (February 6).

Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Chidambaram also said that a team of top legal experts would be consulted to draw a road-map to restart the mining industry which has been shut following a Supreme Court order in 2018.

"We said that we will have a sustainable mining legal model ready in about a month or two. The model will be ready in a month and then we will begin to implement it immediately thereafter," Chidambaram told reporters.

"Legal mining will start, in my estimate, legal mining should start between three to six months after the government is formed," the former Union Minister said.

Chidambaram is camped in Goa as the Congress senior observer for the forthcoming state assembly elections which are scheduled to be held on February 14.

Chidambaram`s comments come a day after the Congress released its manifesto for the assembly polls which promises to take all "legal and sustainable" mining activities in Goa.

Mining has been halted in the state after the Supreme Court in 2018 scrapped all mining leases, citing irregularities in the lease renewal process.

"We shall investigate all allegations of corruption in the mining industry. A comprehensive mapping of all mineral resources of Goa will be undertaken," the manifesto had also said.