Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar met today Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and briefed him about the current crisis in the mining industry and other issues related to the state.
This was Parrikar's first visit to New Delhi after returning from the US, where he underwent treatment for nearly three months for a pancreatic ailment.
Parrikar (62) returned to the state in June.
"Called on the Honble PM Shri @narendramodi ji in New Delhi and briefed him on the mining issue and other development works in the State of Goa," Parrikar tweeted immediately after meeting the PM.
The CM was accompanied by Union Minister and North Goa MP Shripad Naik, Rajya Sabha member Vinay Tendulkar and South Goa Member of Parliament Narendra Sawaikar.
The state's mining industry has been shut since March 16 this year after the Supreme Court, in an order in February, cancelled 88 leases and banned extraction of fresh iron ore.
To solve the crisis, the Goa Assembly on August 3 passed a resolution urging the Centre to suitably amend the Goa, Daman and Diu Mining Concessions (Abolition and Declaration as Mining Leases) Act, to allow mining leases in the state to be operational till 2037.
The resolution also wanted the Union government to amend the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act in order to give mining leases in Goa a 50-year tenure of operation.
The mining sector is a key source of revenue for the Goa government and thousands of people are dependent on it for their livelihood.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
