Auctioning of Goa mining leases could be way forward: Congress

PANAJI: Congress party in Goa today said auctioning of mining leases could be a way forward for the mining industry in the state.

"Auctioning of mining leases can be one of the options," Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Subhash Shirodkar told reporters here.

He said all political parties should sit across the table and come out with analytical approach on mining for the state's development.

Currently, the state has 90-odd mining leases held by private companies, which were operational before being shut down by the Supreme Court order last year.

Shirodkar said yesterday's Supreme Court order allowing e-auctioning of ore is a welcome step, especially because the mining belt economy had reached its lowest ebb after exports were stopped.

Goa government has predicted that a revenue collection worth Rs 1,500 crore from 5.3 metric tonnes of ore lying at leases.