CM Sawant: Iron ore mining in Goa may resume in 2023-24

Iron ore mining in Goa may resume in 2023-24, said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday and asserted that the coastal state has turned the G20 and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meetings into opportunities to promote its tourism industry.

Speaking at a meeting of the NITI Aayog, the Centre's apex public policy think tank, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sawant said Goa has taken steps for the auction of iron ore blocks to resume mining activities.

The industry, which used to be one of the major revenue earners for the state, had come to a standstill in 2018 after the Supreme Court quashed 88 mining leases.

The first auction of four iron ore mineral blocks has been successfully completed in December 2022 and the government has received an upfront payment of Rs 43 crore from them. It is expected that these four mineral blocks may start mining activities in the financial year 2023-24, he said.

The CM said that the second auction of five more mining blocks has also been completed in April 2023.

Referring to the meetings of G20 and the SCO, Sawant said, I thank the honourable PM for assigning the highest number of nine G20 meetings and four SCO meetings (to Goa) which has been a blessing to the state.

Calling the meetings opportunities to promote the state's tourism industry, he said Goa has grabbed them with both hands.

The hospitality offered by the state has earned appreciation from foreign ministers as well as foreign delegates. Goa now has a vibrant and lively atmosphere due to these summits, he said.

Under 'Preferential Purchase Incentives for Micro and Small Enterprises Scheme', the Goa government encourages and gives a boost to MSMEs in the state by extending them special treatment in any tender floated by government departments or corporations, he added.