Goa CM to raise mining issue after appointment of Mines minister

Panaji, May 28 (IANS) Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said the Goa government would lobby with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for resumption of mining once a Central Mines Minister is appointed in the Union Cabinet.

Speaking to reporters here, shortly after four new MLAs elected after the last round of state Assembly by-polls were administered the oath at the legislative Assembly complex, Sawant said a fresh round of portfolio allocation was likely soon.

“Once the Central Mines Minister is announced by the Prime Minister, we will approach the Prime Minister with the help of the concerned minister to resume mining in Goa,” Sawant told reporters.

Quick resumption of mining has been one of the key poll promises of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Goa during the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections. Mining in most lease areas was banned by the Supreme Court in 2018.

When asked about the likely allocation of additional portfolios, Sawant said the decision would be taken soon.

“We will give portfolios soon. Wait for some days. The code of conduct has just been withdrawn and we have prioritized urgent streamlining of administrative issues and pre-monsoon works,” he said.

When asked if he felt that Goa would be represented in the Union Cabinet again, Sawant said Goans do feel that there should be one of them in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet.

North Goa MP Shripad Naik, who was re-elected on May 23, served as Union Minister of State for AYUSH in the National Democratic Alliance government when the dispensation was in power during the last term.

Sawant, along with several ministers and top office-bearers of the state BJP unit are expected to attend Modi’s swearing-in ceremony in the national capital on May 30.

–IANS
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