Goa government will announce its comprehensive mining policy after the Centre amends Mining and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act providing for 26 per cent stake to the locals from the income generated from the industry, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat told the state Legislative Assembly.

Replying to a debate on budgetary demands, the CM said he would take into confidence all the stake holders besides the legislators before announcing the new mining policy.

The mining industry, he said, had come forward to fund Rs 500 crore mining corridor, a special purpose vehicle that envisaged building up road network exclusively for the mining trucks in Goa.

With the state’s revenue on mining exports increased to Rs 292.25 crore in 2009-10 as against Rs 36.35 crore due to introduction of ad valarum as against Royalty by the Centre, the government would set up offices in Quepem and Bicholim mining areas to monitor the movement of the industry soon.

As part of plugging leakages on duties by the miners, Mr Kamat said the barges had to compulsorily obtain a certificate from the Mormugao Port Trust that they had paid the duties to the department before export of the ore.

Meanwhile, Power Minister Alexio sequeira told the House that the government would float power purchase tender shortly for obtaining 30 MW of power in the long term and 100 MW in the short term(4 years) from the southern and western grids to meet the galloping demand.

He had also announced ban on temporary connections following shortage of power supply due to various problems in the monsoon with Goa totally depending on the supplies from outside.

Efforts would also be made to enhance transmission capacity within Goa from the existing 360 MW to 940 MW even as a consultant had been asked to audit the 11 power guzzling government establishments in Goa including the Assembly, Kala Academy, Goa Medical College and the PWD pumping stations to devise means for saving the precious energy.

The Centre had agreed to install 350 LED (Light Emitting Diodes) street light fixtures along 20-km highway route between Margao and Cortalim on pilot basis free of cost, he added.

UNI