Keeping all options open to resume mining in Goa: CM

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said the government is considering all options including formation of a mineral development corporation to resume mining activities in the state.

Speaking to reporters here, Sawant said the state government was expecting mining activities to resume in December, but is waiting for the Supreme Court's order on its review petition.

"The SC has now fixed the date for January 8. We are hoping to get a solution to the problem through the apex court," he said.

The state government is looking at a few other options including formation of a mineral development corporation to resume the mining activities, the chief minister said.

The iron ore extraction and export industry in the state has been shut since February 2018 after the Supreme Court quashed 88 mining leases due to irregularities.

More than three lakh people have been affected by the closure of the mining industry in the state.