Mining dependents plan to put forth issues before Sitharaman

People dependent on the mining industry in Goa are planning to put forth their grievances before Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman when she will chair the GST Council meet here on Friday.

Thousands of mining dependents will walk to the venue of the GST council meet on Friday to present their memorandum to Sitharaman, Goa Mining People's Front (GMPF) president Puti Gaonkar said.

GMPF is an umbrella organisation of people rendered jobless following the closure of the mining industry in Goa.

A senior police officer, however, said adequate security arrangements were in place near the venue of the GST Council meet to avoid any untoward incident.

"The mining dependents will be stopped on the way," he said.

The mining operations, a key source of revenue to the government, came to a standstill in March 2018 following a Supreme Court order which quashed 88 mining leases.

The BJP-led state government earlier requested the Centre to amend the existing mining laws so that the leases get extended.

A group of ministers under the leadership of Union Home minister Amit Shah has been trying to work out a solution to revive the mining industry in Goa.

Union Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi last week said the group of ministers has prepared a detailed report, which would be submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, suggesting various ways on how to resume the iron ore extraction operations in the coastal state.