Shah meets delegation of mining dependants, assures solution for deadlock

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Sunday met with a delegation comprising Goa Mining People's Front (GMPF) officials and three MPs from the state.

During the meeting, Shah assured the delegation that a solution for the current impasse in the mining industry will soon be brought about by the central government.

Reportedly, the mining dependents are expecting that the central government will take up the mining issue in the budget session of the Parliament, which will commence on January 31.

In a statement, GMPF president Puti Gaonkar confirmed that Shah termed the data about the loss of jobs, idle trucks, barges, and non-performing bank assets as 'worrying'.

Mining was banned in the state from March 15, 2018, after the Supreme Court quashed second renewal of 88 mining leases.

The mining dependents are demanding amendments in the existing mining laws, aiming to restart mining activities in the state.

GMPF, a union of mining dependents, have been demanding that existing mining-related laws be amended to give a new lease of life to the industry, which employs around two lakh people.