Global tender to revive Kolar gold mines in 2-3 months: K H Muniyappa

BANGALORE: Union Minister K H Muniyappa on Friday said it would take another two to three months for the Mines Ministry to float a global tender to revive Kolar gold mines.


"Yesterday I met Mines minister, we have had discussion on this, I have asked him to accelerate the process;... tender process will take some time, it will take two to three months to come into force, but they have started to work on it." Muniyappa, the Micro, Small and Medium Industries minister, said.

"Finally, all the hurdles have been overcome with the Supreme Court decision, now we have to see it progresses soon," Muniyappa, who hails from Kolar district, told reporters on the sidelines of Indo-Arab chamber of commerce event here.

Recently, the Supreme Court had approved the Union government's decision to float a global tender to revive Kolar gold mines.

Muniyappa, who is an MP from the region, said the Centre's call for global tenders also allows the workers' forum to come up with a bid to run the mine.

"The highest bidder would be given the job of running the mines. It is the responsibility of the bidder to pay employees the quantum of money or arrears they are entitled to," he added.

Bharat Gold Mines Limited was shut down in 2001, leaving over 3,000 employees jobless. That decision had been challenged by the employees in court.

Karnataka High Court had earlier said that the Centre should revive BGML on its own and not float a global tender for the same. But the Centre had challenged the HC ruling in Supreme Court.