Covid-19: GMOEA asks Goa govt to utilise iron ore permanent fund to combat menace

The Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association (GMOEA), a body representing mine owners,on Tuesday came in full support of themeasures taken by the governmentto contain the spread of coronavirusand made a plea to the state government for utilisation ofGoa Iron Ore Permanent Fund(GIOPF) to combat the menace.

"While we appreciate that state governments have been permitted to use a portion of the District Mineral Fund (DMF) for health related immediate screening of patients and building/refurnishing laboratories to combat the Covid19, an additional collection had also been realised towards the inter generational equity in the state of Goa i.e. the Goa Iron Ore Permanent Fund (GIOPF)," the Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association said in a statement.

"We understand that, till date, Rs 399 crores has already been collected by the state government towards the GIOPF alone, apart from Rs 190 Crores by way of DMF.

The industry believes that such funds collected from the Industry would have a purposeful logic when utilised for the benefit of its citizens, and hence request you to additionally utilize, a portion of such funds, as the State Government seems fit, from the GIOPF to combat the Covid-19, at this time of need, it said.

The GMOEA acknowledges the extremely challenging times unfurled upon the world and more specifically to the nation and the state to the urgent need to contain the alarming reaches of this pandemic Covid-19, it said.

"The mining industry in Goa is entirely supportive of the bold precautionary measures called out by the Central government as well as the initiations attempted by the state of Goa, at this hour of need, to contain the spread which has affected public movement drastically," it said.

As per a Supreme Court order, 10 per cent of the sale of proceed of iron ore extracted in Goa and sold by the lessee must be appropriated towards the GIOPF for the purpose of "sustainable development and inter-generational equity".