Goa leader accuses minister of land conversion scam

Congress leader Girish Chodankar has accused a senior Goa minister of a land conversion scam, alleging that landowners paid over Rs 1,000 per square meter to change land classifications. He claims crores in bribes were involved. Chodankar stated that the Supreme Court halted the sale of private forests, and the High Court invalidated a corrupt land scheme. He criticized the minister for planning to challenge the High Court ruling, suggesting it protects those who allegedly paid bribes. Separately, Goa launched India's first auction of exploration licenses for critical minerals, including Rare Earth Elements and Zinc. This initiative aims to boost mineral exploration and reduce import dependency, according to the Ministry of Mines.