Goa forms committee to resume mining activities

Goa's Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced the formation of a high-power committee to address obstacles in restarting mining activities in the state. This decision follows a meeting with Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, who expects mining to resume fully within six months. The committee will be led by the chief secretary and include officials from various departments related to mining. It will meet every 15 days to review progress and resolve issues. Currently, only two of the 12 auctioned mineral blocks are operational. Additionally, the government plans to resume the auction of 18 mining dumps that was previously canceled. A premium of 22% on the Indian Bureau of Mines price has been set for former leaseholders handling these dumps.